The Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Milk Processing Grant is administered by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA).
Donor Name: Minnesota Department of Agriculture
State: Minnesota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 10/27/2022
Grant Size: $150,000
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
The AGRI Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Milk Processing Grant offers designated grants to facilitate the start-up, modernization, or expansion of meat, poultry, egg, and milk processing businesses. The intent of the program 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.
Funding Information
They expect to award up to $1.4 million in Fiscal Year 2023. The minimum award is $1,000 and the maximum award is $150,000.
This grant requires a cash match. For the match:
- You are responsible for 50% of the first $50,000 to receive up to a $25,000 reimbursement.
- For costs after the first $50,000, you are responsible for 75% of the total remaining cost to receive 25% reimbursement, up to a maximum grant award of $150,000.
Eligible Projects and Expenses
Projects must:
- Aim to increase sales of Minnesota livestock products by increasing production capacity, diversifying markets, or increasing market access for meat, poultry, egg, and milk products.
- Not start until the grant contract is signed by all parties and has reached its start date.
- Be completed in three years or less; contracts cannot be extended beyond three years.
- Be conducted in Minnesota.
Project examples include but are not limited to:
- Purchase and installation of equipment used in the processing of meat, poultry, eggs, or milk
- Contractor costs and materials for installation of approved equipment, including plumbing, drainage, venting, and electrical work
- Cooler walls and refrigeration units
- Portion cutters
- Livestock slaughter equipment such as cradles, saws, hooks, scalders, or sinks
- Equipment or facilities to accommodate holding a larger number of animals in a humane manner (fences, gates, chutes)
- Creamery or milk product processing equipment
- Grading, packing, labeling, packaging, or sorting equipment
- Egg sanitizing, candling, drying, and grading equipment
- Equipment that helps to maintain the identity and traceability of products
- Processing equipment or physical improvements to a processing facility to reduce food safety risks
Eligibility Criteria
- Individuals, farmers, businesses, agricultural cooperatives, non-profits, educational institutions, local governments, and Tribal Governments are eligible to apply.
- You must explain how your project will increase the sales of Minnesota-raised livestock products and/or increase market access. This program aims to fund projects that impact many farmers.
- They will prioritize projects that create additional meat/poultry slaughter capacity in addition to projects that increase access to Kosher/Halal markets.
For more information, visit Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
