Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant
This USDA grant helps operational meat and poultry processors upgrade facilities and achieve federal or state inspection compliance, boosting capacity, efficiency, and market access for small and underserved producers.
Funder: Department of Agriculture
Due Dates (Anticipated): May 2026 | August 2026
Funding Amounts: Up to $200,000 per award; project period up to 36 months; 1:1 matching required for FY2023 and beyond
Summary: Supports operational meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities to achieve federal inspection or state CIS compliance, expand capacity, and improve market access, especially for small and underserved producers.
Key Information: Applicants must be operational at the time of application; federally inspected or CIS-operating facilities are not eligible.
Description
The Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant (MPIRG) program is designed to assist currently operational meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities in making improvements necessary to obtain a Federal Grant of Inspection or to operate as a State-inspected facility compliant with the Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) program. The grant aims to enhance processing capacity, efficiency, food safety, and market access—particularly benefiting smaller farms, new and beginning producers, socially disadvantaged and veteran producers, and underserved communities. Eligible activities include facility modernization, equipment upgrades, compliance with inspection and labeling requirements, and technical assistance for inspection readiness.
