Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program – Phase 4

What does this program do?

The Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) provides grants to help eligible meat and poultry processors expand their capacity. USDA Rural Development designed this program to encourage competition and sustainable growth in the U.S. meat processing sector, and to help improve supply chain resiliency.  The primary purpose of MPPEP Phase 4 is to support the American Beef Industry by diversifying the meat and poultry supply chain and opening local market opportunities. The applicant’s facility must primary process cattle in order for the project to be eligible for the program, however, funds or equipment may be used for processing meat and poultry at the facility.

Who can apply for this program?

Eligible applicants include For-Profit Organizations, Nonprofit organizations, Producer-owned cooperatives, Tribes, and Tribal Entities. 

What is the maximum grant amount?

Available funding will be divided equally into two separate competitions: one for Very Small Processors and Small Processors, and one for Intermediate Processors. Each competition will have its own ranking and award process.  Cost share is required. Applicants will be required to identify sources and amounts that will make up the required cost share in the application and will need to verify cost share funding prior to final award approval. 

Two types of applications for each of the funding competitions will be accepted: 

1. Processing Expansion Projects. Awards will range from $50,000 to $2 million to support a range of activities to increase and diversify processing capacity of American meat and poultry, including Equipment-only purchases over $250,000, and necessary improvements, upgrades, renovations or retrofits to an existing Facility needed to install the Equipment.  A match requirement of 50 percent of the project cost is required for Processing Expansion Projects. 
    
2. Simplified Equipment-Only Projects. Awards will range from $10,000 to $250,000 for projects that only request the cost of equipment and do not include renovation, labor, installation, or certification costs.   A match requirement of 25 percent of the project cost is required for Simplified Equipment-Only Projects. 

What are some other requirements?

Eligible applicants must:

• Meet the definition of Very Small Processor, Small Processor, or Intermediate Processor in Section 1.3 of the MPPEP Phase 4 Notice of Funding Opportunity;
• Be currently engaged in the primary processing of cattle for commercial markets or toll process and been in operation for at least one year (as of the date of the application);
• Currently operate under an FSIS grant of inspection, grant of inspection under a Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program, or a state meat and poultry inspection program with standards at least equal to Federal inspection;
• Be Independently Owned and Operated;
• Be Domestically Owned; and
• Operate their Processing facility in any of the 50 states of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

How do I apply?

Please click on the To Apply tab above.