In a major move to strengthen domestic food supply chains and expand local market opportunities, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a planned $57 million investment to boost meat and poultry processing capacity nationwide.
Vice President J.D. Vance and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced the funding, which will support independent processors across 40 states through the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP).
Pending final Congressional allotment, the program will distribute $57,424,130 in 147 tentative awards. The initiative aims to empower small- and medium-sized processors, foster fair competition, and strengthen supply chain resilience in the livestock sector.
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Supporting Independent Business & Rebuilding Capacity
“President Trump is focused on putting American ranchers first, and we are committed to achieving this vision at USDA,” stated Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “Today’s announcement to provide investments in small and medium-sized meat processors builds on President Trump’s Executive Order ‘Promoting Fair Competition in Livestock Markets and Expanding Market Access for American Meat Producers.’ We are focused on rebuilding the Great American Cattle Herd, and providing more local processing opportunities will continue to give confidence to our ranchers to help us fulfill this goal.”
Managed by USDA Rural Development’s Rural Business-Cooperative Services, MPPEP provides targeted grants to help eligible independent processors scale operations and expand facility capacity.
Who Qualifies and Program Impact
Designed to drive sustainable growth and enhance competition, eligibility extends to:
- For-profit & Non-profit entities
- Producer-owned cooperatives and corporations
- Certified benefit corporations
- Tribes and Tribal entities
- State or local government entities
All private entities must be independently owned, operated, and domestically controlled.
To date, the USDA has awarded more than $200 million to independent businesses under the MPPEP umbrella, a venture that has successfully generated thousands of jobs nationwide while offering retailers and grocers greater access to localized meat products.