SMALL BUSINESS MATTERS D Blue & Gold The meat company with roots in agricultural education is a thriving enterprise with a mission to give back BY STEVE KRUT | meatpoul try@sos land.com O n the eastern outskirts of Oklahoma City there is a thriving meat company founded a generation ago with the goal and principle of helping others. Today this rocking enterprise has stayed on track and uses its meat production to help generate more than $6 million a year to benefit agricultural groups and civic organizations. It's known as Blue & Gold Sausage Co., located in the suburban community of Jones. The company's success lies in the simplicity of the mission outlined by founder Don Ramsey and his wife, Willadean. Don was a teacher who specialized in agriculture education. Every organization from the Future Farmers of America (FFA) to the 4-H Clubs needed projects that could raise money. At the end of the livestock showing season, Don would take the hogs that were shown and have them made into sausage at a local butcher shop. The FFA kids would then take the sausage and sell it as a fundraiser in Jones. 36 MEAT+POULTRY | 04.23 | www.meatpoultry.com Blue & Gold Sausage Co. G A O O Shttp://www.meatpoultry.com