Northwest Land and Livestock in Alaska: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Northwest Land and Livestock in Delta Junction is described by the University of Alaska Fairbanks as one of the largest cattle and hog operations in Alaska. The McCollum and Pinkelman families were named the 2017 Alaska Farm Family of the Year, and the family also runs Delta Meat & Sausage, a USDA-approved processing plant.
| Location | Delta Junction, Interior Alaska |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1984 (cattle herd started by Doug and Cathie McCollum); processing plant established 1997 |
| Sectors | Galloway and Angus beef; hogs; hay; custom meat processing |
| Scale | About 400 to 500 head of cattle and about 350 pigs (2017 award release); hay on 1,000 acres (UAF, 2013) |
| Why it is elite | 2017 Alaska Farm Family of the Year; described by UAF as one of Alaska's largest cattle and hog operations |
| Ownership | Three generations of the McCollum and Pinkelman families |
| Official website | Delta Meat & Sausage (the family's processing business) |
History of Northwest Land and Livestock
Doug and Cathie McCollum moved to Alaska from Montana in 1968 and bought a 320-acre parcel near Delta Junction. In 1984 they bought 17 heifers and a Galloway bull from a South Dakota farm, and the cattle herd grew from that start. Hogs were added later, and the family also owned Delta Concrete for 35 years.
In 1997 the family established Delta Meat & Sausage, Inc., a full-service slaughter and meat processing facility that Jeannie Pinkelman and Cathie McCollum run. Doug's son-in-law Russ Pinkelman manages livestock and buildings, and grandchildren help with chores. In 2017 the Alaska Division of Agriculture and the Alaska State Fair named the two families Farm Family of the Year. Both families sponsor local youth events, including Little League, youth hockey and 4-H.
What Northwest Land and Livestock Grows and Raises
The farm raises Galloway and Angus cattle and Yorkshire and Berkshire hogs. The 2017 release put the herd at about 400 to 500 head and the pigs at about 350, and the UAF profile reported hay grown on 1,000 acres for feed, with surplus sold to other animal producers. In Interior Alaska, where a long winter drives up feed costs, growing hay at home is a core part of the plan.
Delta Meat & Sausage processes beef, pork, buffalo, yak, elk and reindeer from local farmers, plus game from local hunters. Having a USDA-approved plant in the same community matters in a state where few such facilities exist, because other livestock producers depend on it. The farm also supplies calves and piglets to 4-H and FFA members and hires teenagers each summer.
How Northwest Land and Livestock Makes Money
Direct beef and pork sales
UAF reported that the farm sells mostly direct to consumers and keeps a waiting list because demand for its beef is high. Direct sales let a small-market producer capture retail value.
Meat processing
Delta Meat & Sausage provides slaughter and processing for the farm's own animals and for other Alaska livestock owners, including those raising bison, yak, elk and reindeer, as well as hunters with game.
Farm to School and hay
The farm's beef and pork have been served in school lunch programs in rural communities through the Farm to School program. Surplus hay is sold to other animal producers.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Northwest Land and Livestock
The first lesson is vertical integration where infrastructure is scarce. Owning a processing plant gave the family control of its own product and created a service other producers need. In remote regions, a missing link in the supply chain can be a business opportunity.
The second lesson is demand management: a waiting list for beef shows that direct marketing can fill orders before the animal is finished. Finally, supplying young people with calves and piglets and hiring teenagers builds the next generation of Alaska farmers and customers.
Raising Galloway cattle where the winter is long and the hay is precious is a love letter to stubbornness, and the McCollums and Pinkelmans have been writing it since 1984. When the chores are done, visit farm.FM for farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes. We have it on good authority that Delta Junction cattle are not at all bothered by the cold and are mildly offended we asked.
farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, also runs Tractor Tunes, a country music lineup for farmers. For a sample of the writing, try the archive of one of its staff humorists.
How to Contact Northwest Land and Livestock
Website: https://www.deltameat.com/
No farm address, phone or email was verified on an official site for this page. The family's processing business, Delta Meat & Sausage, is the best published point of contact; the Alaska Grown program also lists the farm. Confirm sales and visits by contacting them directly.
Northwest Land and Livestock Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Delta farm becomes key player in Alaska ag scene - University of Alaska Fairbanks profile
- McCollums and Pinkelmans named Farm Family of the Year - Alaska State Fair award announcement
- Alaska Grown member profile - Alaska Division of Agriculture listing
- USDA NASS Alaska 2022 Census of Agriculture - State-level farm numbers and sales
- Delta Meat & Sausage - The family's processing plant in Delta Junction
Northwest Land and Livestock FAQ
What is Northwest Land and Livestock?
A family cattle and hog farm in Delta Junction, Alaska, that the University of Alaska Fairbanks described as one of the largest such operations in the state.
What award did the family win?
They were named the 2017 Alaska Farm Family of the Year.
What is Delta Meat & Sausage?
A full-service slaughter and meat processing plant established in 1997 by the same families.
How can I buy their beef?
UAF reported mostly direct sales with a waiting list. Contact the family or the Alaska Grown program for current availability.
Northwest Land and Livestock shows how a farm in Interior Alaska can build its own supply chain. Read the Alaska farms guide for the state context and programs.