Small- and medium-sized meat processors in Montana are eligible to receive support from the government to expand processing infrastructure and capacity.
The Montana Meat Processing Infrastructure Grant will give additional aid to businesses recovering from the economic impacts of COVID-19. A total of $2 million is available in funding, with a cap of $150,000 per entity.
The Montana Department of Agriculture and Department of Livestock will be working together to enforce eligibility requirements. Examples of eligible projects could include: equipment and infrastructure that increase processing or storage capacity; costs associated with becoming state or federally inspected; and slaughter floor enhancement.
Applications will be accepted until July 2 and can be found at covidreliefmt.org/submit. “With increased demand on both the national supply chain and our local food systems, it’s time to invest in in-state meat processing,” said Ben Thomas, Director of Montana Department of Agriculture. “These grants give our producers an opportunity to shift their operations, so they can access new markets, and we can keep quality Montana-raised meat here in Montana.”
