Following its announcement of $57 million in funding to expand meat processing capacity, USDA has identified the independent processors selected to receive grants.
At the end of October, USDA announced that processors in 40 states were set to receive $57 million through the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program. The program is moving forward with 147 awards intended to expand processing capacity and encourage competition in the meat processing sector.
“Now that these funds are moving, ranchers will have more options close to home, more competition will return to the market, and more of the value of American-raised beef will stay in rural communities,” said USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins.
Funding was allocated for projects ranging from equipment upgrades and adding new products, to expanding and renovating processing facilities.
Of the western states announced as of Nov. 4, Texas and Kansas processors were selected to receive the most funding at $7 million and $4 million, respectively.
The following 10 processors were awarded funding in Texas:
• Rowena Packing of Rowena, TX, will receive a $939,496 grant.
• MTX Beef of Mason, TX, will receive a $761,163 grant.
• Local Cuts Meat Company of Zephyr, TX, will receive a $1,032,800 grant.
• Fort Worth Meat Packers of Fort Worth, TX, will receive a$1,800,000 grant.
• Tejas Premium Meats of Itasca, TX, will receive a $1,538,719 grant.
• Hometown Meat Market of Luling, TX, will receive a $417,738 grant.
• Wiatrek’s Meat Market of Floresville, TX, will receive a $249,999 grant.
• I O Ranch Processing of Evant, TX, will receive a $146,658 grant.
• Huse Processing of Malone, TX, will receive a $217,817 grant.
• Cobb’s Meat of Sumner, TX, will receive a $151,832 grant.
The following 10 processors were awarded funding in Kansas:
• Diamond A Processing of Junction City, KS, will receive a $182,094 grant.
• Hat Creek Butchery of Plains, KS, will receive a $249,367 grant.
• Meade Locker & Processing of Meade, KS, will receive a $249,711 grant.
• Meatworks of Kansas of Riley, KS, will receive a $228,750 grant.
• Mitchell Bolling of Moran, KS, will receive a $197,338 grant.
• Plainview Beef Company of Peabody, KS, will receive a $2,000,000 grant.
• Randel Inc. of Grinnell, KS, will receive a $249,845 grant.
• Stroot’s Meat Company of Goddard in Mulvane, KS, will receive a $250,000 grant.
• T & W Meat Co. of Kingman, KS, will receive a $250,000 grant.
• Walnut Valley Packing of El Dorado, KS, will receive $116,280 grant.
Additional western states received the following in funding:
• Montana: A total of $2.4 million for seven processors.
• North Dakota: A total of $500,000 for three processors.
• Oregon: A total of $351,880 for one processor.
• Nebraska: A total of $250,000 for one processor.
New plant coming to TX
On Oct. 29, USDA announced its Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program would support the construction of a locally owned, USDA-inspected beef processing plant in Dimmitt, TX. The facility is backed by a $24.6 million commercial loan and is expected to process approximately 400 head of cattle per day.
The project was initiated by 36 local investors who are involved in raising cattle in the Texas Panhandle.
“Their goal is to develop an alternative to major national meat‑processing companies and support more competitive beef prices,” USDA said.
The new facility is expected to create 220 new jobs with an average wage of $30 per hour. — Anna Miller Fortozo, WLJ managing editor
