Medina business gets certificate

A nonprofit business that supports training for volunteer firefighters from across the state is the latest enterprise to earn a certificate of inspection from the North Dakota State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program.

“Firehouse Ribs has met all requirements for the meat and poultry inspection program,” said Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson, who presented manager Darrell Graf with a letter of congratulations Tuesday. “Their smoked ribs can now be sold on a wholesale or retail basis anywhere in North Dakota.”

Proceeds from the sale of the ribs go to the nonprofit Fire Academy of North Dakota which provides training for volunteer fire departments in the state.

“We will be selling packaged ribs to grocery stores, convenience stores and restaurants across the state,” Graf said. “We also have a retail outlet and restaurant in Medina.”

Graf said he had been “tinkering around” with the recipe for some time, and took it around the state to street fairs and other events.

“The response was really good,” he said. “People really liked them.”

In addition to the smoked and cooked St. Louis-style pork spare-ribs, the company also sells its special barbecue sauce.

Firehouse Ribs has three full-time and four part-time employees.

Graf said the Fire Academy has been in development for many years. Its training grounds, built in 2004, are used by members from 20 to 30 volunteer fire departments in North Dakota.

Dr. Andrea Grondahl, director of the inspection program, and senior inspector Cody Kreft helped Graf meet regulatory requirements, including a written Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points plan and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures.

Johnson said 15 North Dakota companies now operate under the State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program and that others are currently working on accreditation.

Tags: business, firefighters, meat, inspection, medina