# Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/rd-rbs-22-01-mppep-meat-and-poultry-processing-expansion-program/  
Official notice: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/338342

> Rural Business-Cooperative Service offered grants of up to $25.0 million to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make about 15 awards worth $150 million in total. Applications closed on May 11, 2022.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Opportunity number | RD-RBS-22-01-MPPEP |
| Agency | Rural Business-Cooperative Service |
| Status | Forecast |
| Deadline | May 11, 2022 |
| Award ceiling | $25.0 million |
| Award floor | not stated |
| Expected awards | 15 |
| Total funding | $150 million |
| Cost sharing | not required |
| Assistance Listings | 10.381 |

## Who can apply

- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

Eligible applicants for the MPPEP grants include an individual, sole proprietor business or other business entities (regardless of legal structure) engaged or proposing to engage in meat and poultry processing, including federally recognized Tribes and tribal entities, for-profit entities, non-profit entities, and State or local government entities. Applicants must engage or propose to engage in slaughter and/or further processing with plans to operate under USDA, tribal or state-equivalent inspection. Private entities must be independently owned and operated, and all entities must be domestically owned. Additionally, applicants’ meat and poultry processing facilities must be physically located and operated in the United States (U.S.) or its territories.

## What the grant funds

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development (RD) Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS or Agency), requests applications for the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP). MPPEP is authorized under Section 1001(b)(4) of the American Rescue Plan Act, which provides funding for “loans and grants and other assistance to maintain and improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency.” Pursuant to this authority, USDA is making grant funding available to meat and poultry processors for start-up and expansion. This will promote competition and give more and better options to producers by increasing meat and poultry processing capacity. Separately, USDA is using the same authority to increase available capital through loan guarantees and intermediary relending. The grants in MPPEP can finance no more than $25M or 20% of the project costs and requires the grantee to demonstrate committed project financing. USDA is also making available funding for technical assistance through providers who are experts in the fields of meat and poultry processing, and business planning. Information on technical assistance providers will be included, as available, on the MPPEP website. Applicants that are nationally dominant in beef, pork, chicken, or turkey processing are ineligible; for the purpose of this RFA, nationally dominant is characterized as holding a market share greater than or equal to the entity that holds the fourth largest share of the market for any of the listed species.

## Questions people ask

### Is RD-RBS-22-01-MPPEP still open?

No. It closed on May 11, 2022. A newer notice is open: RD-RBS-26-03-MPPEP, closes December 7, 2026 (30 days left).

### Who can apply for Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program?

Rural Business-Cooperative Service accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

### What is the deadline for Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program?

Closed May 11, 2022. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

### How much funding is available?

Awards of up to $25.0 million each. About $150 million in total across about 15 awards.

### Who has won Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were New Hampshire Community Loan Fund Inc, Wholestone Farms II LLC, Riverbend Meats, LLC. The program made 26 awards worth $234 million in that time.