COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 11, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development in Ohio State Director Jonathan McCracken announced today that USDA is investing $8.7 million in Ohio to strengthen food supply chains, increase independent meat and poultry processing capacity, create new and better markets for producers, and lower food costs.
“Improving access to meat and poultry processing is not only critical to the resiliency of the food supply chain, but it also drives economic development in rural areas across Ohio,” said McCracken. “These investments in our state are good for farmers, good for consumers, good for processors, and underscore USDA’s commitment to ensuring our rural communities are positioned for success now and in the future.”
USDA is partnering with the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund to provide more than $83 million in grants to 24 independent processors in 15 states under the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP). This funding will help build new processing plants, create jobs, expand local economies, and give consumers more purchasing options.
Two independent processors in Ohio will receive funding through MPPEP.
Case Custom Meats, LLC in Lynchburg, Ohio, received a $642,857 grant to construct a new USDA-inspected facility for processing cattle, hogs, lamb, and goat. Case specializes in offering processing services to local producers who sell to direct and wholesale markets, and they will purchase beef and hogs from local producers for sale into their retail shop. This investment is expected to create seven new jobs at the facility.
Whitewater Processing, LLC in Harrison, Ohio, received a $8,176,838 grant to construct a new processing facility. This family-owned company processes spent breeder turkeys and antibiotic free young turkeys and provides key raw materials for other processors to make lunch meat, turkey bacon, sausage, and jerky. This new facility will create 80 new full-time positions and serve four new turkey producers.
Since this program’s inception USDA has awarded 59 MPPEP grants, totaling more than $291.4 million, to expand capacity, encourage competition and sustainable growth in the U.S. meat processing sector, and improve supply chain resiliency.
MPPEP funding comes from the American Rescue Plan Act and is an integral part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda to invest in rural America and ensure economic opportunities for all Americans, no matter where they live.
USDA Rural Development provides grants, loans, and loan guarantees to support infrastructure improvements, business development, affordable housing, community facilities, and expand high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
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USDA Rural Development has five offices in Ohio – Columbus, Findlay, Hillsboro, Marietta, and Massillon. To learn more about investment resources for rural areas in Ohio, call (614) 255-2400 or visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/oh.