USDA Awards $57 Million to Expand Meat Processing Capacity
The USDA announced $57.4 million in tentative awards for 147 meat and poultry processing projects across 40 states to increase competition and supply chain resilience.
The United States Department of Agriculture announced tentative awards totaling $57,424,130 to 147 meat and poultry processing projects across 40 states. Announced by Vice President J.D. Vance and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, the funding is distributed through the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) to support small and medium-sized independent processors.
The initiative aims to strengthen supply chain resilience and increase competition against major corporate meatpackers by providing local and regional processing options. Eligible recipients include cooperatives, tribal entities, local government bodies, and domestically owned for-profit and nonprofit entities. This latest allocation brings the total funding awarded by the MPPEP to over $200 million.
Secretary Rollins linked the investment to a presidential executive order on livestock markets, stating the goal is to rebuild the "Great American Cattle Herd," which a White House proclamation noted has fallen to its lowest level in 75 years. While the administration invests in domestic capacity, the U.S. has also raised import quotas for lean beef trimmings to address immediate supply shortages, with a final tranche of 100,000 metric tons opening on October 31 and closing on November 30, 2026.
