The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Wednesday announced an additional $21.9 million of funding is being awarded to 111 grant projects through the Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant Program (MPIRG), bringing total funding to $54.6 million. This year's awards will fund projects in 37 states. The funding will help strengthen and develop new market opportunities for meat and poultry processors throughout the United States. To further these efforts, AMS is also encouraging MPIRG awardees and eligible participants in USDA's Meat and Poultry Supply Chain initiatives to request assistance through the Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity Technical Assistance Program (MPPTA). Launched in March 2022, MPPTA connects participants to a nationwide network of resources and expertise.
"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. "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."
"USDA continues to build capacity and increase economic opportunity for small and midsized meat and poultry producers across the country," added Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt.
In Illinois, projects funded this round include:
- HARVESTER MEAT COMPANY, Canton, $200,000. Harvester Meat Company is a very small slaughter and processing plant which proposes modernizing processing equipment to boost value-added production and improve sanitary conditions. The proposal also includes a smokehouse to double smoked-meat output and several upgrade and expansion projects related to humane handling, processing, and packaging areas.
- PARIS FROZEN FOODS INC., Hillsboro, $200,000. Paris Frozen Foods Inc. is a very small family-owned beef and pork slaughter and processing shop originally started in 1900, operating with approximately 8 employees. They offer State Inspected slaughter and processing services and produce various types of value-added and fresh cut meat products. While annualized growth rate has already been 100% recently, their facility is lacking key modernization necessary to help them achieve the USDA status needed to expand any further and comply with FSIS protocols. Paris Frozen Foods Inc proposes updating processing equipment, building, workplace safety and sanitation systems, all efforts that will result in substantial benefits for the business and local community.
- SALT & STRINGS BUTCHERY, Louisville, $200,000. Salt & String Butchery is a family-owned small meat processor that opened in October 2016, with eight employees, offering State Inspected processing and produce various value-added and fresh cut products. While their annualized growth has recently been 20%, their facility is lacking modernization necessary to achieve the USDA status needed to expand further and comply with FSIS protocols. In this project, Salt & String Butchery proposes a modern, high-capacity smokehouse to increase value-added product offerings and comply with FSIS cooking and production standards. They also include a "Ready to Eat" Cooler that would ensure food safety and FSIS compliance regarding cold storage capacity and product separation, even as they increase production.
- Love Family Enterprises Inc., Mattoon, $200,000. Love Family Enterprises Inc is a family-owned small beef and pork processing business originally started in 1979. They have ~12 employees. The facility is lacking key modernization necessary to help them achieve the USDA status needed to expand any further and comply with FSIS protocols. Altogether, Love Family Enterprises Inc estimates that this project will help them create 4 jobs and source meat from 284 unique farmers within a 60 mile radius of the facility. With these improvements, they estimate an increase in production capacity to 1,848,600 pounds per year.
- KEVIN W MILLER, Red Bud, $200,000. Kevin W Miller, dba Miller's Meat Market, is a beef, pork, and poultry slaughter and processing plant. As a family-owned business originally started in November, 1958, they operate a 5,000 sq. ft. facility with approximately 6 employees. Miller's Meat Market offers State Inspected slaughter and processing services and produce various types of value-added and fresh meat products. While their annualized growth rate has recently been 32%, their facility is lacking key modernization necessary to help them achieve the USDA status needed to expand further and comply with FSIS protocols.
- LEGACY MEATS, LLC, Sumner, $200,000. Legacy Meats LLC is a small beef and pork slaughter and processing plant. As a family-owned business originally started in 2017, they operate an approximately 4,500 sq. ft. facility with 6 employees, and offer custom exempt slaughter and processing services and produce various types of value-added and fresh cut meat products. Their facility is needs upgrades to get CIS status and comply with FSIS protocols.
Facility improvements and expansions funded through MPIRG will help processors obtain a Federal Grant of Inspection or qualify for a state's Cooperative Interstate Shipment program. Achieving a Federal Grant of Inspection or operating under a Cooperative Interstate Shipment program allows meat and poultry processors to ship products across state lines, develop new markets, increase capacity, and better meet consumer and producer demand along the supply chain.
MPIRG recipients and other eligible participants, especially small and underserved stakeholders, in USDA's Meat and Poultry Supply Chain initiatives are encouraged to take advantage of the broad technical assistance offered through MPPTA. AMS has cooperative agreements with six organizations to form the MPPTA network, which has already provided valuable assistance to over 300 businesses and organizations across the U.S. and its territories since its launch earlier this year.
Categories: Illinois, Livestock, Poultry