Meat, poultry processing expansion deadline extended

From U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Montana Rural Development office

BOZEMAN — U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the department is extending to May 11, 2022, the application deadline for the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program which provides funding to expand meat and poultry processing capacity.

The decision to extend the deadline comes after Rural Development heard directly from applicants about challenges with System for Award Management registration, which must be completed prior to filing an application. 

“Strengthening our food supply chain is a top priority of the Biden-Harris Administration,” Vilsack said. “The new deadline should ensure that all interested and eligible meat and poultry processors have ample time to complete their applications.”

Background on MPPEP

USDA Rural Development is making $150 million of American Rescue Plan Act funding available through the MPPEP. USDA is offering grants of up to $25 million each to expand processing capacity through a variety of activities, including but not limited to construction, expansion of existing facilities, and acquisition of equipment.

USDA encourages applications that benefit smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, Tribes and tribal producers, socially disadvantaged producers, military veteran producers and underserved communities.

For more information, applicants are encouraged to visit the MPPEP website at http://www.rd.usda.gov/mppep . Questions may be submitted through the website or sent to [email protected]. 

All application materials can be found at http://www.rd.usda.gov/mppep or at http://www.Grants.gov. Applications must be received by 9:59 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time May 11 through Grants.gov.

Meat and poultry processing technical assistance  

USDA also announced the launch of the Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity Technical Assistance Program to provide technical assistance to meat and poultry grant applicants and grant-funded projects. Processors and applicants involved with the Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant program and the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program can access this technical assistance. 

For information about USDA’s other Meat and Poultry Supply Chain Initiatives, people can visit http://www.usda.gov/meat .

To learn more about investment resources for Montana’s rural areas, people can contact Montana’s Business and Cooperative Programs Director Lad Barney, at 406-309-3350 or [email protected].

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit http://www.rd.usda.gov/mt . People who would like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates can visit its GovDelivery subscriber page at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDARD/subscriber/new?email=&commit

=Sign+Up .