The Very Small Meat and Poultry Processor Program is designed to support the growth of very small meat and poultry processors in the Commonwealth.
Donor Name: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
State: Pennsylvania
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant | Reimbursement
Deadline:05/08/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The grants cover costs associated with opening a new processing operation or the expansion of a current operation. The grants can also be used to cover the costs of getting a USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) inspection.
Funding Information
Grants are limited to no more than $100,000 per applicant.
Uses of Funds
- Reimbursements to cover the cost of with obtaining a grant of inspection from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS)
- Opening or expanding a processing operation
- Consulting or technical support fees and services to help your business operate under a grant of inspection
- Professional development or employee training to help maintain a grant of inspection
- Purchase of up to 85% of the meat/poultry slaughter or processing equipment orsupplies
- Purchase of equipment/suppliesfor employee safety.
Eligibility Criteria
Your very small meat and processing operation will either need to be currently operating under a grant of inspection or applicant will use funds from grant (under penalty of the law) to obtain a grant of inspection.
An applicant may apply for reimbursement for eligible costs. They must be a very small meat and poultry processor and meet at least one of these requirements:
- Currently operating under a grant of inspection.
- After the project is approved, the applicant must get a grant of inspection. An applicant must confirm this requirement. They must do so under penalty of law. This is needed to receive reimbursement.
- The following types of meat processors are covered by this grant:
- Meat: Beef, Veal, Pork, Lamb, Mutton, and Goat
- Poultry: Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Goose, Guinea, and Squab, including for Ratites: Emu, Ostrich, and Rhea;
- Eggs: Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Goose and Guinea
- Fish: Catfish.
Guidelines
You can get money back for costs related to:
- Meeting the requirements to get a grant of inspection
- Starting a new very small meat and poultry operation
- Growing the capacity of a current very small meat and poultry operation
- A mix of those purposes.
- The following specific costs are eligible for reimbursement:
- Consulting or other technical support services that support the development and maintenance of programs.
- Professional employee training and educational services and programs that support the development and maintenance of programs. If a consultant is used, the department will reimburse reasonable costs.
- Up to 85% of the purchase of meat or poultry slaughter or processing equipment or supplies. This does not include reimbursement of the costs of planning, erecting, repair, or changing a structure or building. It also excludes fixing or adding roofing or other physical improvements.
- The purchase of equipment or supplies directly related to employee safety.
For more information, visit Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
