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USDA announces grants to support independent meat and poultry processing

USDA’s latest investment to increase independent meat and poultry processing capacity will impact 17 states including Brownfield states Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says 15 grants totaling $115 million are being awarded to help bolster markets for small and mid-sized farms.

“The notion of getting big or getting out just runs counter I think to the heritage of American agriculture.”

Vilsack announced the investments during a stop in Iowa Thursday, where he shared concerns about agriculture becoming more concentrated.

“With the understanding that folks who are a large-scale production agriculture have enormous risk financially, and do an enormous service to the country and to the world. Or are we big enough and smart enough and innovative enough to basically create another alternative option so that folks can have a choice.”

Vilsack says these grants prioritize the needs of producers and small businesses, promote competition, strengthen the domestic food supply, and will help bring prosperity to rural America.