The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) reminds Wisconsin meat and poultry processors to apply for Meat and Poultry Supply Chain Resiliency Grants by August 19, 2022. Gov. Tony Evers announced the creation of the grant in May 2022, investing up to $10 million in the program to continue to grow Wisconsin’s meat processing industry and improve the long-term viability of the state’s livestock industry.

Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Wisconsin meat processors will have the ability to apply for grants of up to $150,000. Processors are required to provide a match of 100 percent of the grant amount, and grants will be awarded through a competitive selection process. Grant materials, including the application and FAQs, are available on DATCP’s website at https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/AgDevelopment/MeatPoultrySupplyChainResiliencyGrants.aspx.

“After receiving far more applications for the Meat Processor Infrastructure Grants than the budgeted dollars earlier this year, it was clear that there is demand for support among Wisconsin’s meat processors,” said DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. “Through the Meat and Poultry Supply Chain Resiliency Grants created by Gov. Evers, we will work to meet this need and help our state’s meat processing industry continue to thrive.”

DATCP will host a webinar for processors interested in learning about these grants on July 29, 2022, from 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. The webinar will cover the grant application, eligibility requirements, and timeline, and a question and answer segment will take place after the presentation. The webinar will take place virtually on Zoom. Registration in advance is appreciated, but not required. To register for the live event and receive a link to the recorded webinar and additional resources, visit the webinar registration page at https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItdeGrpzosGGAcptagF56nwvch2XY0Atk. The recording will also be made available on DATCP’s website here: https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/AgDevelopment/MeatPoultrySupplyChainResiliencyGrants.aspx.

About DATCP’s Meat Initiatives

DATCP currently has three separate programs providing support for Wisconsin’s meat industry. In addition to the Meat and Poultry Supply Chain Resiliency grants, DATCP also provides support to the industry through the following initiatives:

Evers’ 2021-23 biennial budget included $200,000 in each year of the biennium for Meat Processor Infrastructure Grants, which enabled meat processors to invest in their facilities and install equipment to expand their production and gain efficiencies. In the first year of these grants, DATCP received 100 applications requesting more than $4.4 million in funding. The first recipients of these grants were announced (full list available at https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WIGOV/bulletins/3160e5c) on May 5.

Earlier this year, Gov. Evers announced up to $5 million in the Meat Talent Development Program to help attract students to meat careers, provide financial support to students in Wisconsin meat processing training programs, support program development, and connect the meat processing industry with potential employees.

For more information on these initiatives, visit DATCP’s website at https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/AgDevelopment/MeatAndLivestockDevelopment.aspx and sign-up for email updates.