The Indiana State Department of Agriculture recently announced 41 Hoosier meat processing businesses will receive $4 million in funding through the Indiana Meat Processing Expansion and Development Grant Program.
A Seymour firm, Jackson County Custom Processing, was on list of grantees. That company will receive $17,300.
Co-owner Jeanna Eppley said the business is excited to receive the grant due to the timing on when it was acquired.
“We purchased the business on March 13 just ahead of the big COVID shutdown,” she said. “The demand for local processing was already high and it surged even more as the pandemic started.”
The processing business was purchased from Darlage Custom Meats, which now operates as a commercial retail business offering fresh cut meats on Seymour’s west side.
Eppley said they have some plans in mind for how to use the grant money.
“We needed to be able to process more animals so we renovated a room in order to be able to do that,” she said. “So we applied for the grant to help us pay for that project as well as additional equipment to increase production.”
The purpose of the state funding, available to processors with less than 500 employees, was to alleviate the impact of the pandemic on local and small meat-processing agribusinesses in Indiana.
“Processing plants in our state are essential and this funding will help with a variety of necessities to strengthen this sector of our food supply chain,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch. “These grants will address issues caused by COVID-19 and help meet consumer demands in both normal and emergency situations.”
There was a 50% cash match for the grant money opportunity, and a total of at least $8 million will be invested in the Indiana small meat processing economy as a result of the grant program.
“The coronavirus pandemic highlighted our nation’s delicate food supply chain, and it was clear we need workable options to get meat to markets and to protect consumers from supply chain disruptions,” said ISDA Director Bruce Kettler. “Meat processers are essential for our state, contributing more than $3.9 billion to our economy. It is vital we keep these businesses growing and operating safely.”
Funding was made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in Indiana. It was decided who received funding by a competitive grant and scored by representatives across a variety of both external organizations and state agencies. Sixty firms applied for the grants.
Brewer Livestock of North Vernon also was chosen to receive funding. They have been given $58,500.