U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the Small Processors Action Plan last week to “better support small and very small meat and poultry processing plants, improve customer service, and reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens while maintaining strong food safety protections for consumers.”
Secretary Rollins said, “Today’s announcement marks another step toward rebuilding our domestic beef industry, the actions contained in the new Small Processors Action Plan modernize USDA’s approach to the people and small businesses who process American locally grown beef and protein. We are removing overly burdensome red tape, improving service, and giving small plants the clarity and support these business need to operate safely, grow, and compete. By expanding local processing capabilities, we’re continuing to bolster our domestic producers, which are central to the President’s Make America Healthy Again agenda.”
According to USDA, “Small and very small plants make up the majority of Federally inspected establishments and play a critical role in local economies, rural communities, and the resilience of the nation’s food supply. These actions being announced by USDA are designed to make it easier for these businesses to interact with the agency, get timely answers, and resolve issues, without weakening inspection or food safety standards.”
Additionally, Secretary Rollins announced that applications are now being accepted for the fourth round of the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program which would provide $60 million to “help eligible meat and poultry processors expand their capacity, encourage competition and sustainable growth in the U.S. meat processing sector, and to help improve supply chain resiliency. Available funding will be divided equally into two separate competitions: one for Small and Very Small Processors and one for Intermediate Processors.”
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.