our primary processing expertise

Primary processing occupies the critical middle layer of the food and agriculture ecosystem, sitting between production agriculture and downstream manufacturing, branding, and distribution. It includes the initial transformation of raw agricultural outputs into standardized, storable, and transportable forms—such as grain handling and milling, oilseed crushing, protein and rendering operations, meat slaughter and fabrication, dairy intake, and initial produce packing. Primary processors play a systemically important role by enforcing quality and traceability standards, and enabling downstream food, feed, and industrial markets to function at scale, making them essential infrastructure within global ag and food value chains.

Westerra is a leader in primary processing. Westerra recognizes it as a leverage point in the ecosystem where strategic alignment with upstream producers and downstream customers can materially enhance resilience and returns. This perspective allows Westerra to bridge agricultural fundamentals with institutional-grade transaction outcomes in a sector that remains foundational to the global food system.

Workers involved in processed meat production, handling raw hamburger patties in a food manufacturing facility.

our primary processing subsectors at a glance

Produce Packers

Fruit & Vegetable Processing

Protein Processing & Rendering

Dairy Intake & Processing

Grains & Oilseeds

SpecialtyMilling

Animal Food

Byproducts & Circular Economy

Ingredient Prep

Produce Packers Fruit & Vegetable Processing Protein Processing & Rendering Dairy Intake & Processing Grains & Oilseeds SpecialtyMilling Animal Food Byproducts & Circular Economy Ingredient Prep

no other bank goes as deep into the primary processing subsector as we do

Produce Packers

Perform the initial sorting, grading, cooling, packing, and quality assurance of fresh produce to prepare it for wholesale, retail, and foodservice distribution

Dairy Intake & Processing

Collection, testing, and primary transformation of raw milk into fluid milk, cream, and base dairy inputs for downstream manufacturing

Animal Food

Covers the formulation and manufacture of feed, premixes, and nutritional products that convert agricultural raw materials and co-products into inputs and food

Produce Processing

Convert fresh produce into shelf-stable, frozen, or minimally processed forms—such as frozen, canned, dried, or cut products

Grains & Oilseeds

The handling, storage, cleaning, drying, and primary conversion of crops into commodities such as flour, meal, oil, and other intermediate products

Byproducts

Recover, upgrade, and repurpose processing residuals—such as fats, proteins, fibers, and nutrients—into animal feed, ingredients, energy, or industrial uses.

Protein Processing

The slaughter, primary fabrication, and initial value separation of livestock and seafood into standardized meat and protein products for further processing or sale

Specialty Milling

Processing of non-commodity or value-added grains, pulses, and seeds into differentiated flours, meals, and functional ingredients

Ingredient Prep

Initial cleaning, fractionation, blending, and standardization of agricultural raw materials into ready-to-use inputs for food, feed, and industrial manufacturers