USDA Plan Looks To Help Small Meat Processing Plants

USDA is rolling out a new action plan aimed at helping small and very small meat and poultry processing plants operate more efficiently while maintaining food safety standards.

On Wednesday, Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the Small Processors Action Plan, which will streamline interactions between processors and USDA by creating easier ways to submit requests, track appeals, and get answers to regulatory questions.

“Today’s announcement marks another step toward rebuilding our domestic beef industry, the actions contained in the new Small Processors Action Plan modernize USDA’s approach to the people and small businesses who process American locally grown beef and protein," Rollins noted. "We are removing overly burdensome red tape, improving service, and giving small plants the clarity and support these business need to operate safely, grow, and compete. By expanding local processing capabilities, we’re continuing to bolster our domestic producers, which are central to the President’s Make America Healthy Again agenda.”

Small Processors Action Plan

Small and very small plants make up the majority of Federally inspected establishments and play a critical role in local economies, rural communities, and the resilience of the nation’s food supply. These actions being announced by USDA are designed to make it easier for these businesses to interact with the agency, get timely answers, and resolve issues, without weakening inspection or food safety standards.

Improving customer service and responsiveness

Creating clearer, easier ways for small plants to submit and track appeals and requests
Establishing dedicated support to help small businesses navigate processes and get timely responses
Expanding access to assistance for plants with limited technology or connectivity

Making requirements clearer and easier to navigate

Updating and expanding plain-language guidance by FSIS, tailored to small and very small plants
Improving visibility of available support, escalation paths, and points of contact
Launching simpler tools to help plants engage with USDA systems

Reducing unnecessary burden while maintaining food safety

Streamlining processes related to FSIS inspection staffing concerns and appeals
Improving consistency and clarity across the field through targeted training and guidance
Strengthening coordination with the Small Business Administration to ensure small plants are aware of available resources

USDA will begin rolling out these improvements immediately and will continue engaging with small and very small plants to ensure the changes are effective and responsive to real-world needs.

Addition Investment From USDA

The USDA Rural Business and Cooperative Service published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $60 million to fund a fourth phase of the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) to help eligible meat and poultry processors expand their capacity, encourage competition and sustainable growth in the U.S. meat processing sector, and to help improve supply chain resiliency. Available funding will be divided equally into two separate competitions: one for Small and Very Small Processors and one for Intermediate Processors.

Eligible applications include for-profit organizations, nonprofit organizations, producer-owned cooperatives, tribes, and tribal entities. Privately-owned entities must be independently owned and operated, and all entities must be domestically owned. Additionally, the applicant’s processing facility must be physically located and operating in the United States or its territories. The applicant’s facility must primarily process cattle in order for the project to be eligible for the program; however, funds or equipment may be used for processing meat and poultry at the facility.

Additional information is available on USDA’s MPPEP website.

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