USDA Invests $1.07 Million in Wisconsin Meat Processing: Four Beef Projects Funded
Andrew C. Iverson, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Wisconsin, and Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) announced in Stevens Point on November 2, 2026, that USDA will invest $1.07 million in four Wisconsin meat processing projects through Phase 4 of the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP).
The four recipients are Wilson Farm Meats Inc. in Elkhorn, which will receive $456,129 to reconfigure the rear portion of its existing facility and incorporate new processing equipment; Salcherts Market Inc. in St. Cloud, which will receive $250,000 to purchase equipment to expand production; Lake Geneva Country Meats, which will receive $212,268 to purchase two pieces of packaging equipment, including a more modern clip machine; and Durand Smokehouse LLC in Durand, which will receive $158,250 to purchase equipment to expand production at its plant. The four grants total $1,076,647.
Iverson said small and mid-sized meat processors are essential to the strength of Wisconsin agriculture and rural communities, and that the investments will help processors access new markets, expand local capacity, create jobs, and offer consumers across rural Wisconsin more options.
Steil said Wisconsin agriculture is second to none, and that the investment will increase processing capacity in the state to lower costs for Wisconsin families, calling it great news for Wisconsin family farms, consumers, and the workers who keep the state's agricultural economy strong.
The primary purpose of MPPEP Phase 4 is to support the Wisconsin beef industry by diversifying the meat and poultry supply chain and opening local market opportunities. An applicant's facility must primarily process cattle to be eligible, though funds or equipment may also be used for meat and poultry processing at the facility.
The Wisconsin awards are the state's share of the national MPPEP rollout announced by Vice President J.D. Vance and Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins, totaling $57,424,130 across 147 awards in 40 states, which USDA Rural Development is now obligating state by state. (Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture)
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：威斯康星州 Marathon County Brighton 一处养牛农场（资料图）。Jeff the quiet 摄，CC0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: A cattle farm in Brighton, Marathon County, Wisconsin (file photo). By Jeff the quiet, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
