USDA Invests $2.4 Million to Expand Montana Meat Processing Capacity
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in Bozeman on November 4 that it will provide a total of $2.4 million in grants to seven Montana meat processing businesses to help them expand capacity and open new markets. The funding comes from USDA's Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program, which in this round provided $57 million to processors in 40 states and was announced jointly by Vice President JD Vance and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
Among the Montana recipients, Glacier Processing Cooperative in Flathead County received the largest award, $1,306,822, to upgrade plant equipment including new sawing equipment, a rollstock packaging machine and a smokehouse. Bear Paw Meats in Blaine County received $111,543 to upgrade its processing systems and purchase equipment, and Superior Meats in Mineral County received $305,424 for advanced processing equipment.
Bill Warden, USDA Rural Development's Montana state director, said insufficient processing capacity has long been a major bottleneck for local ranchers, and that the investment will help independent processors expand capacity and competitiveness and give ranchers more local sales channels. USDA said the program has provided more than $200 million to independent businesses to date, aiming to diversify the meat supply chain and strengthen its resilience.
(Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture)
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 海伦纳蒙大拿州议会大厦（图：Wikimedia Commons，CC BY 2.0） / The Montana State Capitol in Helena (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0)
