The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), led by Secretary Tom Vilsack, has awarded over $35 million in grants to 15 independent meat processors across 12 states. This is part of the final phase of the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP), launched through President Biden's American Rescue Plan in 2022. The total investment now surpasses $325 million across 74 projects, aimed at increasing U.S. meat and poultry processing capacity and enhancing the food supply chain.
The awards align with the Biden-Harris Administration's goals under the Investing in America agenda and its Action Plan for a Fairer, More Competitive, and More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain. These investments aim to boost competition, improve market access for U.S. farmers, create jobs and reduce grocery costs for American families.
Key Highlights:
- Since the program’s inception, these investments have expanded processing capacity to over 800,000 cattle, 14,000 hogs, 23 million chickens, and 5 million turkeys annually, while creating 1,200 new jobs.
- Examples of funding include $10 million to America’s Heartland Packing in Missouri for a LEED-certified beef processing plant and $750,000 to Mark’s Custom Meats in Pennsylvania to expand its processing facility, doubling its capacity.
- Damian’s Craft Meats, a Latinx-owned processor in Michigan, will use $4 million to build a new facility serving local cattle, hog, goat, and lamb producers.
This funding supports rural economic development, providing better business opportunities for producers, job creation and more grocery options for consumers. Additionally, the USDA is ensuring market transparency, as demonstrated by the new “Product of USA” labeling rule and actions under the Packers and Stockyards Act.
The USDA has committed over $1.4 billion to enhance small and medium-sized processing facilities and continues to work toward a fairer, more resilient U.S. food supply chain.
For more information, visit USDA's meat and poultry processing programs.
