The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to direct more than $57 million into independent meat and poultry processors across 40 states, a push officials say is aimed at easing the supply bottlenecks behind rising beef prices. The announcement, made Monday, singled out 10 meatpacking facilities in Kansas as among those expected to benefit from the funding.
Vice President J.D. Vance and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the investment, saying independent meat and poultry processors in the 40 states are expected to receive the money to expand processing capacity and create new and better markets, according to KMBC. The funding runs through USDA's Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program, which provides grants to help eligible independent processors expand their capacity, as reported by The National Provisioner. That outlet reported the program is expected to invest more than $57 million in 147 tentative awards across 40 states, pending congressional allotment, while KMBC reported the figure as $57.4 million supporting 147 projects — accounts that differ slightly on the exact dollar total but agree on the scope of the rollout.
Kansas Plants Among the First Named
In Kansas, Vance pointed to millions of dollars in new grants headed toward 10 meatpacking facilities in the state, the station's report notes. The program itself is managed by USDA Rural Development's Rural Business-Cooperative Services, which designed it to encourage competition and sustainable growth in the U.S. meat processing sector and improve supply chain resiliency, per the same account from The National Provisioner.
Eligibility for the grants is fairly broad. Applicants can include for-profit and nonprofit entities, producer-owned cooperatives and corporations, certified benefit corporations, tribes and tribal entities, and state or local government entities, according to the outlet's reporting. Private entities must be independently owned and operated, and every eligible entity — public or private — must be domestically owned.
Beef Prices Climbing Even as Herd Numbers Hold Steady
The push comes as grocery shoppers continue to feel the pinch at the meat counter. The nationwide average price of ground beef hit $6.79 per pound in September, up from $6.32 a year earlier, KMBC reported, while steak prices have climbed by about 3.5 percent over the same stretch.
Behind those price trends sits a cattle supply picture that remains tight. There were 94.2 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms as of July 1, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Separately, the USDA Economic Research Service has said a slow slaughter pace is anticipated to continue through 2027, with beef production forecasts for both 2026 and 2027 trimmed slightly from earlier projections.
Part of a Broader Federal Push on Livestock Markets
The grant announcement follows an executive order from President Trump titled Promoting Fair Competition in Livestock Markets and Expanding Market Access for American Meat Producers, according to The White House. That order directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a one-stop-shop resource and coordinator position, expand federal licensing and inspection connections, provide training for small and very small processors, widen interstate market access for eligible meat products, and streamline state participation in inspection programs.
Rollins said USDA's investments in small and medium-sized meat processors support President Trump's vision of putting American ranchers first, according to The Bronx Daily. She added that local processing opportunities will build confidence among ranchers and help rebuild the great American cattle herd, the outlet reported. USDA has previously awarded more than $200 million to independent businesses under the program, and MPPEP-funded projects have created thousands of jobs across the country, per the same report.
