The Agriculture Department is investing $110 million to help small meat and poultry processors expand operations in an effort to promote competition and lower food costs.
As part of the investment, $83 million in grants is going to two dozen companies through USDA’s Meat and Poultry Expansion Program, which is aimed at funding the construction of new processing facilities.
Additionally, $26.9 million in grants is going to 33 projects through USDA’s Local Meat Capacity program, which also funds expansion projects within the meat and poultry industries.
Funding, which came from the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan, is going to dozens of processors looking to build new or add-on to existing facilities. To date, the administration has allocated more than $700 million to infrastructure projects that expand meat and poultry capacity.
“USDA is working to give farmers and ranchers a fairer chance to compete in the marketplace, which will increase local food options and lower costs for American families,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.
The awards ranged in size from a few thousand dollars to $10 million depending on the project.
Meat processor Simla Frozen Food Locker, for example, is receiving $450,000 to build a facility across the street from an existing plant in rural Colorado, according to a comprehensive list of award recipients. The project will serve 160 local producers and create four full-time jobs.
Another processor in Hamlet, North Carolina is receiving $10 million to build a facility that processes ostrich, emu, water buffalo and alpaca. The project is expected to serve 37 producers and create 54 full-time jobs.
