Final USDA grants strengthen meat processing

Sep 24, 2024
By Farms.com

$35 Million allocated to boost US meat industry

The Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP), initiated by the USDA and funded through President’s American Rescue Plan, has announced its final grants, delivering more than $35 million to 15 independent processors across 12 states.

This move marks a significant step in increasing U.S. processing capacity and spurring competition to benefit farmers and create jobs in rural communities.

Secretary Tom Vilsack highlighted the program’s alignment with the Administration’s broader goals of fostering a fairer and more competitive meat and poultry industry.

To date, the program has facilitated the enhancement of processing capacities for over 800,000 cattle and millions of poultry, significantly aiding nearly 900 meat and poultry producers.

Highlighted projects include a $10 million grant to America’s Heartland Packing for a new beef processing facility near St. Louis, and a $750,000 grant to Mark’s Custom Meats in Pennsylvania, which will allow the company to double its processing size.

Additionally, Damian's Craft Meats in Michigan is set to use a $4 million grant to build a facility that enhances service to local producers.

These investments not only expand processing capabilities but also support the USDA’s mission to ensure economic viability and sustainability in agricultural communities across the country, providing a stable future for the U.S. agricultural sector.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.