Shownotes
Episode 42 | Katie Olthoff hosts Stephen Ussary of Stewards Unlimited to discuss current USDA grant opportunities. They explain the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPEP) Phase 4, focused mainly on equipment (and limited renovations) for processors that slaughter beef, with eligibility for small/very small and some larger “intermediate” processors, required matches (25% equipment-only; 50% expansion), and an August 7 deadline; awards are limited and likely competitive, with scoring tied to goals like increased capacity, producer income (including toll processing), new markets, safety/training, and waste management, plus letters of support including from government officials. They also review LAMP programs due June 5—FMPP, LFPP, and RFSP—emphasizing partnerships, marketing impacts, and competitiveness, noting processors may be eligible but rarely funded recently. They mention other opportunities (state programs, Farm to School, SARE, Value Added Producer Grants) and Stewards Unlimited’s free grant alerts.
Join here: https://stewardsunlimited.com/
- 01:15 Grant Journey Lessons
- 02:19 MPEP Overview and Eligibility
- 04:45 Funding Tracks and Competitiveness
- 07:41 Scoring Rubric and Priorities
- 14:19 Reapplying and Inspection Rules
- 17:18 Match and Application Strategy
- 20:33 Future of MPEP and Farm Bill
- 21:38 LAMP Programs Overview
- 23:03 RFSP Partnerships Explained
- 30:52 Weigh Your Options
- 33:58 Should You Apply This Year
- 39:59 Other Grants and Alerts
- 42:00 Grant Deadlines
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