The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service announced today that an additional $21.9 million in funding will be awarded to 111 grant projects through the Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant Program. The awards allocated this year will fund projects in 37 states.
The additional funding will help to strengthen and develop market opportunities for meat and poultry processors across the country.
“The Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grants will help meat and poultry processors make necessary facility improvements, expand their businesses, and strengthen the nation’s food supply chain,” said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in a statement. “These grants are one part of USDA’s Meat and Poultry Supply Chain initiatives and will contribute to our efforts to transform our food system.”
A few of the projects funded this round are as follows:
• A small processing plant in Oklahoma will use the funding to increase weekly production in a rural and low-access area.
• A kitchen incubator in Maine will use the funding to expand into a larger facility, prepare for wholesale distribution, support startup operations, and provide technical assistance and training.
• A processing plant in South Dakota will use the funding to improve humane handling and enhance food safety while expanding to larger markets through the Cooperative Interstate Shipping Program.
Many of the plants will allocate some of the funds to obtain a Federal Grant of Inspection or qualify for a state’s Cooperative Interstate Shipping Program, both of which allow meat and poultry processors to ship across state lines, develop new markets, increase capacity, and meet demand.
Related: FDA Issues Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards; UNFI Awards $1 Million to Inspire Better Food Systems