By C.J. MILLER
Hoosier AG Today
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Thursday that Indiana will receive $15 million in federal funds for the expansion of projects for independent meat producers.
In a release from the USDA, the grant money “will be used to capitalize a revolving loan fund to assist small and very small Indiana meat packers and processors with access to affordable capital for meat expansion projects. Meat expansion projects will add local job opportunities and tax revenues for local communities and the State of Indiana. The Indiana State Department of Agriculture is partnering with Indiana Finance Authority to establish the loan fund.”
The federal funds for Indiana will be made available through the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program.
As part of the USDA’s announcement on Thursday to increase independent meat and poultry processing capacity throughout the U.S., the agency says it is providing 15 awards totaling $115 million throughout 17 states. USDA is providing five awards totaling $38 million through the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program to help independent processors in five states. USDA is also providing 10 awards totaling $77 million under the Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program in 12 states.
USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture is also providing seven awards totaling $4.5 million to community and technical colleges in seven states through the Meat and Poultry Processing–Agricultural Workforce Training program. The federal funds will seek to bolster the workforce within the meat processing industry.