Anniversaries are always a time to reflect backward and to look forward.
March marks the second anniversary of the official launch of the technical assistance network that USDA established as part of the Biden administration's 2022 commitment to create a more resilient, diverse, and equitable meat and poultry processing system.
Two months earlier, in January 2022, the White House announced it was committing $1 billion from the American Rescue Plan to support smaller meat and poultry processors nationwide. Since then, USDA has rolled out a series of grants to expand the number of federally inspected facilities, create revolving loan funds for processors, establish new workforce training programs in community colleges and technical schools, cover the cost of equipment purchase, and underwrite part of the cost of constructing new enterprises, including some designed to enable Tribal Nations to harvest indigenous species in a more culturally-centered manner.
It's too early to cite success stories for most projects accessing those financial resources. Many applicants are still waiting to receive word on grant approval. Those that have been awarded funding are just getting projects underway. Their ultimate success will be measured in their economic survival over the next five years.
However, since launching in March 2022, the technical assistance program has already demonstrated its worth with several success stories.
Outreach is one measure of that success. Our technical assistance network members, including Tuskegee University and the Intertribal Agriculture Council, along with partner organizations like Farmers Veteran Coalition, Rural Coalition, RAFI USA, and Women in Ranching, have helped us connect with historically underserved communities across the country. As we marked our second anniversary, nearly 1,200 people and businesses connected with our network by seeking requests for assistance. Those requests came from virtually every state and as far away as Puerto Rico and Guam.
During the initial months of our work, members of our network heavily focused on helping new and expanding projects navigate the USDA grant application process. The success is apparent in the nearly 1,000 businesses that applied for the Local Meat Capacity grant last year.
Our work has extended far beyond the support for obtaining federal project funding.
The Niche Meat Processing Assistance Network has worked directly with struggling businesses to address workforce training. The American Association of Meat Processors has assisted companies in addressing regulatory compliance issues. The American Meat Science Association and Agricultural Utilization Research Institute are helping to develop new value-added products and technologies for handling byproducts.
Flower Hill has developed resources and conducted online workshops on various issues important for the business success of smaller processors.
Those resources are essential, but the human touch is also critical. Over the past 24 months, Flower Hill’s regional directors have traveled to nearly 40 states and Puerto Rico to tour facilities, meet with local officials, and coordinate one-on-one.
For smaller processors, grant funding and low-interest financing are important steps in creating a more resilient, diverse, and equitable meat and poultry supply chain. The ultimate success story will be measured in the survival and profitability of those businesses in the years ahead. The technical assistance team assembled by USDA is dedicated to that goal.