Recently several small and mid-sized meat and poultry processing facilities were awarded funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program. Undersecretary for Rural Development Glen Smith shared the four phases associated with the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program.
“Phase one is to support the expansion of new capacity modernization of existing processing operations. Phase two included higher federal cost share percentage and expanded eligibility around slaughter for these facilities. Phase three shifted a little bit focusing on increased processing capacity for invasive catfish creating markets for fishermen and phase four was targeting independently owned small and intermediate cattle processors. These would be larger facilities,” explained Smith.
Audio Reporting by Elizabeth Sanders for Southeast AgNet.