Small Grants Seed Big Changes for Local Meat Processors

As the pandemic impacts rippled throughout the food system in 2021, the incoming Biden administration launched the Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant (MPIRG), offering smaller processing businesses up to $200,000 to become USDA-inspected to equip them to develop and market products in retail stores and restaurants.

The first round of MPIRG grants awarded in 2021 is scheduled to be wrapped up this September, so my fellow Regional Director, Chris Roper, and I have been stopping by grant recipients during our travels to see if our network can provide technical assistance to help them cross the finish line.

Regenerative Revolution is Rooted in the Guatemalan Jungle

A small building tucked away in the tiny northern Iowa community of Stacyville, IA is a cornerstone of a revolutionary model of chicken production and processing that connects immigrant farmers and workers with customers seeking delicious, nutritious poultry.