Funds Available to Boost Minnesota Livestock Product Sales

Meat, poultry, egg, and milk processors focus of MDA grant program

St. Paul, MN: Minnesota livestock product processors seeking to start-up, modernize, or expand their businesses are encouraged to apply for the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Milk Processing (MPEM) Grant.

Funded through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), the intent of the MPEM Grant is to increase sales of Minnesota-raised livestock products by investing in equipment and physical improvements that support processing, capacity, market diversification, and market access.

The MDA anticipates awarding up to $750,000 in 2024 MPEM Grants using a competitive review process. The maximum award amount is $150,000, and the minimum award amount is $1,000. Grantees are responsible for 50% of the first $50,000 of project expenses, and 75% of the total remaining costs above $50,000.

Individuals (including farmers), businesses, agricultural cooperatives, nonprofits, educational institutions, local unit of governments, or tribal governments that intend to be or are engaged with livestock slaughter or processing are eligible for the MPEM Grant. Projects focused on meat and poultry processing, especially slaughtering, will be prioritized in this round of funding.

Grant applications will be accepted until 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. For further information and to submit your online application, visit the AGRI Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Milk Processing Grant web page.

This call for MPEM Grant applications follows a previous round of applications announced in fall 2023. Recipients of the 2023 MPEM Grants will be announced at a forthcoming date.

Funding for the MPEM Grant is made available through the MDA's AGRI Program, which administers grants to farmers, agribusinesses, schools, and more throughout the state of Minnesota. The AGRI Program exists to advance Minnesota?s agricultural and renewable energy sectors.

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