State aims to solve meat processing bottlenecks

Applications opened this week for a new state initiative called the Meat Processing Expansion Grant Program (MPEG), an attempt to strengthen the local food supply chain and address meat shortages at retail locations and food banks.

The program will utilize $10 million of the funding allocated to Wyoming through the CARES Act and is open to meat processing businesses and non profits who would be interested in making improvements to their business that will increase capacity. Improvements must be complete by December 30; the grant also applies to improvements that are already complete and were made since April 1, 2020.

“As anyone who has tried to get a beef cut up this year knows, processing in Wyoming is facing significant bottlenecks in 2020. The First Lady’s initiative has seen this across the state,” Governor Mark Gordon said in announcing the initiative.

“That is why we have set up the Meat Processing Expansion Grant Program, which will help improve our meat processing capacity and ensure our citizens have access to high-quality products.”

Administered through the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, MPEG intends to address supply chain disruptions and regional shut-downs of processing facilities due to COVID-19. Increased capacity will in turn increase the resiliency of the food-for-human-consumption supply chain.

The grant can be used for expenses including capital improvements to expand capacity (as long as they are operational by December 30); rental of buildings, facilities or equipment to expand capacity or facilitate social distancing; technology for capacity or business resilience; facility reconfiguration; costs associated with COVID-19 sanitation, employer-provided COVID-19 testing and increased inspections; wages and hazard pay; livestock intake and storage equipment; packaging, handling, processing, water treatment or management, food storage, manufacturing and warehouse equipment; or the costs associated with transporting live animals to processors or products to retailers.

Awards will be granted up to $500,000 per applicant and can cover up to 50% of the total cost of the upgrades purchased. A business must be operated in Wyoming to be eligible and may not have received more than $350,000 in prior COVID-related funding.

Processors must also be willing to provide services at a reduced cost to livestock producers who demonstrate need, through such offers as volume discounts and reduced storage fees. The costs for this up to $50,000 can be reimbursed up to December 15 through a second application.

A portion of processed and retailable products should also be provided to local food banks, pantries, soup kitchens, prisons, schools or other charitable organizations, free or at reduced cost, until at least January 1, 2021.

Grants will be reviewed by a group representing the Wyoming Business Council, Wyoming Department of Agriculture and Governor’s Office. To find out more, visit the Wyoming Department of Agriculture website.