USDA Announces $115 Million in MPPEP, MPILP Grants across 17 States

• By: admin
• On: 06/29/2023 15:30:27
• In: Industry News

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA is making investments to increase independent meat and poultry processing capacity, expand market opportunities for farmers and support a growing workforce in rural areas.

“While American farmers and ranchers have been responding to the demand to produce more, their communities have struggled to see their share of the benefits,” Vilsack said. “Under the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is committed to championing meat and poultry processers, increasing competition and lowering costs for working families. The announcement I'm making today highlights these producers and reflects the goals of President Biden's Investing in America agenda, which advances a sustainable vision of agriculture, prioritizes the needs of our producers and small businesses, promotes competition, strengthens our domestic agricultural supply chains and brings prosperity to people and places in rural parts of our country.”

USDA is providing 15 awards totaling $115 million in 17 states. USDA is providing five awards totaling $38 million through the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) to help independent processors in five states. USDA is also providing 10 awards totaling $77 million under the Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program (MPILP) in 12 states.

USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture is also providing seven awards totaling $4.5 million to community and technical colleges in seven states through the Meat and Poultry Processing–Agricultural Workforce Training (AWT) program. These investments will build a pipeline of well-trained meat processing workers and support safe workplaces with fair wages for workers.

The grants awarded are:
Program          Recipient                                                                                 Grant
MPILP              Morgan County Economic Development Corp. (CO)             $5 million
MPILP              Fremont County Economic Development Corp. (CO)            $10 million
MPILP              Berkshire Agricultural Ventures Inc. (CT, NY, MA)                  $630,000
MPILP              Indiana Office of Comm and Rural Affairs (IN)                       $15 million
MPILP              Maryland Agricultural and Resourced-Based                         $3.8 million
                         Industry Development Corp. (MD)
MPILP              Farmers Union Foundation (MN, MT, ND, SD, WI)                $834,000
MPILP              Jobs Now Inc. (MT)                                                                $15 million
MPILP              Oyate Community Development Corporation (ND)                $15 million
MPILP              Rural Development Finance Corporation (ND)                      $10 million
MPILP              South Central Development Company (OH)                          $2 million
MPPEP            The Spotted Trotter (GA)                                                        $1,500,684
MPPEP            Cattlemen's Heritage Beef Co. LLC (IA)                                 $25 million
MPPEP            Swift Run Station LLC (MI)                                                     $2,038,550
MPPEP            Appalachian Producers Cooperative (TN)                              $2,674,361
MPPEP            TBP LLC (TX)                                                                         $6,901,550