News Releases

Sens. Moran, Klobuchar Announce USDA Investment in Small and Midsized Meatpackers

Applications for the Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant Program Are Open

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant (MPIRG) program is now accepting applications to help small and midsized meat processors increase market opportunities. This program was created by Sens. Moran and Klobuchar’s legislation, the Requiring Assistance to Meat Processers for Upgrading Plants (RAMP-UP) Act, and provides $55.2 million in grants for small and midsized meatpacking plants to make the necessary investments to become federally inspected. Currently, meatpacking facilities can only make sales across state lines if they are federally inspected.

“Small meatpackers in Kansas play an important role in providing new markets for livestock producers and meeting a growing, nationwide demand for quality meat,” said Sen. Moran. “I’m pleased to see the RAMP-UP Act become a reality, giving meat processing facilities the tools they need to increase their market opportunities while strengthening our food supply chain for consumers. I encourage meat and poultry processing facilities in Kansas and across the country that qualify to utilize this program to meet the standards necessary to sell their products across state lines.”

“Following the passage of our bipartisan RAMP-UP Act, the USDA now has additional resources to help increase opportunities for local meat processors,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “We must continue to help small meat processors grow and thrive, especially during this period of economic recovery.”

The MPIRG’s Planning for a Federal Grant of Inspection project will support small and midsized meat processing facilities working to meet the standards of the Federal Meat Inspection Act or Poultry Products Inspection Act and the MPIRG’s Cooperative Interstate Shipment Compliance project will assist facilities working to meet the standards to operate under a state’s Cooperative Interstate Shipment program.

Items to Note:

  • MPIRG applications must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, August 2, 2021. For more information about grant eligibility and program requirements, visit the MPIRG webpage, or contact mpirg@usda.gov.
  • USDA encourages grant applications that focus on improving meat and poultry slaughter and processing capacity and efficiency; developing new and expanding existing markets; increasing capacity and better meeting consumer and producer demand; maintaining strong inspection and food safety standards; obtaining a larger commercial presence; and increasing access to slaughter or processing facilities for smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, socially disadvantaged producers and veteran producers. Eligible meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities include commercial businesses, cooperatives and tribal enterprises.
  • The RAMP-UP Act was signed into law by President Trump on December 27, 2020 as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.

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