USDA Grants to Further Strengthen Kansas Meat and Poultry Supply Chains

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 Kansas, projects funded this round include:

• Schenker Family Farms Inc., McCune, $200,000. The McCune facility operates as a processing, distribution staging , and cold storage area for Schenter Family Farms, Inc. The company is seeking USDA inspection for the facility so that it can expand the market for its specialty foods beyond current consumer-direct channels. Having a USDA Inspected product would allow the company to sell their value-added processed products through additional distribution channels, such as smaller retail and wholesale markets. Grant Funds will be used to get the facility ready for Inspection. Grant funds will be used to expand the staging, loading and cold storage areas to ensure correct segregation of their value-added fresh/refrigerated and frozen products.
• BD Meats Inc., Yoder, $200,000. In this project, BD Meats, Inc. will continue with the goal of becoming federally inspected. The company will work with FSIS to ensure the plan is designed to meet all requirements and upon completion of the project they will be federally inspected. They will also invest in cooler expansion and a small expansion and renovation to allow for close location of the existing and new smokehouses. And improve the food safety of cooked products..
• Dieck's, Inc., Clay Center, $200,000. The purpose of the project is to increase production. This will aid local producers in marketing their products in the "Farm to Fork" movement nationwide. With the addition of advanced technology in protein fabrication, the new processing equipment added to the current processing line will increase capacity and efficiency while delivering a more superior product. This will allow them to aid customers and showcase just how great rural America's products are produced.
• Circle P Processing LLC, Waterville, $200,000. The purpose of this project is to ensure that the company is granted a USDA inspection that will allow them to grow and help producers and consumers by increasing capacity. After completing this update and passing the Federal inspection, Circle P Processing will be able to meet the needs of clients wanting to sell meat products throughout the United States.
• OZ LLC, Overland Park, $200,000. The goal of OZ LCC to develop new markets by expanding into untapped new territories by increasing beef processing capacity and transporting the beef safely to current and new customers. The project will help the business obtain a Federal Grant of Inspection by modernizing the businesses facilities and gaining grant support staff. OZ LCC desires to increase their current capacity and better meet consumer and producer demands by hiring grant project-related personnel, leasing a larger refrigerated truck, and increasing its ability and processes to provide better food safety.

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.