USDA announces $57 million for meat processing expansion 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced $57.4 million in tentative awards for 147 projects across 40 states through its Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program. The funding is intended to help independent processors expand capacity, increase competition, and strengthen the meat processing supply chain. 

Vice President J.D. Vance and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the awards Oct. 26. The awards are pending congressional allotment. 

The program, managed by USDA Rural Development’s Rural Business-Cooperative Services, provides grants to eligible independent meat and poultry processors seeking to expand their operations. 

“We are focused on rebuilding the ‘Great American Cattle Herd,’ and providing more local processing opportunities will continue to give confidence to our ranchers to help us fulfill this goal,” Rollins said. 

The program is designed to encourage competition and sustainable growth in the United States. meat processing sector while improving supply chain resilience. 

Eligible applicants include for-profit and nonprofit organizations, producer-owned cooperatives and corporations, certified benefit corporations, tribal entities, state and local government entities, and other business types, regardless of legal structure.  

Private entities must be independently owned and operated, and all applicants must be domestically owned. The agency said the investments are intended to expand processing options for livestock producers and improve access to markets for American meat products. 

More information about USDA’s meat and poultry supply chain initiatives is available at usda.gov/meat. 

Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or [email protected].