The Colorado Department of Agriculture has funds available to help Colorado producers apply for meat processing grants from the US Department of Agriculture.
The second round of the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) grant will be available soon. We are still waiting for the USDA to share the details of the grant requirements, but once they are announced, applicants will only have about 45-60 days to submit proposals so it is most important for us to help you prepare for this as best we can.
While we do not know the specific parameters of the upcoming grant, we do know it will be focused on meat processing. The goal of the federal funding is to increase USDA inspected meat processing production and capacity across the US. No matter your current processing capacity, companies must be already or looking to be a USDA inspected facility by the end of the project.
Applying for federal grants is complex and time consuming and CDA wants to help Colorado companies prepare and submit meaningful proposals to be considered for this grant.
CDA will provide up to $5000 per Colorado company to hire a grant writer.
If you are interested in receiving funding to hire a grant writer for your federal grant proposal please fill the online application. This grant is first come first serve and CDA will review applications in the order they are received.
Additional Resources
- Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) - USDA Rural Development
- Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program - Frequently Asked Questions (usda.gov)
- MPPEP Fact sheet
- USDA is announcing a broad series of grants and loans to help create a more resilient, diverse, and equitable meat and poultry processing system. In March, AMS established a network of organizations to provide applicants and recipients of these grants and loans with a broad array of technical assistance and other resources to help them successfully navigate the process and establish viable business enterprises. Here's the link to the USDA website covering the technical assistance program. https://www.ams.usda.
gov/services/grants/mppta - Flower Hill Institute
- American Association of Meat Processors
- American Meat Science Association
- Agricultural Utilization Research Institute
- Intertribal Agriculture Council; and
- Niche Meat Processors' Assistance Network (Oregon State University)
Need additional help?
For more information or help applying, please reach out to the Markets Division by calling (303) 869-9170 or emailing Ashley Warsh.