U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Colorado State Director, Crestina M. Martinez, announced that Northern Colorado-based Stan’s Specialty Meats has been awarded a $1.27 million grant through the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP). Funded by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, first launched in 2022, the program aims to increase meat and poultry processing capacity nationwide. By expanding facilities like Stan’s Specialty Meats, the program strengthens market opportunities for U.S. ranchers and helps create new jobs in rural communities.
“Rural America is the foundation of our economy, supplying the nation with essential food, resources and infrastructure. When rural communities prosper, the entire country benefits,” said Martinez. “By strengthening the economy from the ground up and the middle out, we ensure that small towns and rural areas become hubs for innovation, job creation and growth – contributing to the vitality of our nation as a whole.”
Stan's Specialty Meats, a family-owned, small-scale meat processor in northern Colorado, will use the grant to build a new USDA-inspected facility. This expansion will address the shortage of local USDA-inspected processing services. With this new facility, Stan's expects to support 50 new producers and create 20 full-time jobs.
This grant is part of a nationwide initiative awarding over $35 million to 15 independent meat processors across 12 states. Full details on awarded projects are available online. Since MPPEP’s launch, USDA has granted 74 awards, totaling over $325 million, to enhance processing capacity and strengthen the nation’s food supply chain. MPPEP is one of many actions that USDA is taking to expand processing capacity, create more revenue streams and market opportunities for producers, and improve the competitive landscape in food and agricultural markets.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. Visit the Rural Data Gateway to learn how and where these investments are impacting rural America. For more information in Colorado, visit www.rd.usda.gov/co.