News Releases

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today announced a $1,594,970 U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) investment in eight Kansas small and midsized meatpackers through the Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant (MPIRG) program. The MPIRG program was created by Sen. Moran’s legislation, the Requiring Assistance to Meat Processers for Upgrading Plants (RAMP-UP) Act, for small and midsized meatpacking plants to make the necessary investments to become federally inspected. Currently, meatpacking facilities can only make sales across state lines if they are federally inspected.

“Small meatpackers in Kansas are a vital component in our supply chain, providing new market opportunities for regional livestock producers and helping meet a growing, nationwide demand for quality meat and poultry,” said Sen. Moran. “I introduced the RAMP-UP Act to equip small meatpackers with the necessary resources to meet federal standards, and I am pleased to see the resulting investment will help meatpackers across Kansas expand their businesses and reach a wider customer base with the ability to sell their products across state lines.”

The MPIRG’s Planning for a Federal Grant of Inspection project supports small and midsized meat processing facilities working to meet the standards of the Federal Meat Inspection Act or Poultry Products Inspection Act and the MPIRG’s Cooperative Interstate Shipment Compliance project is assisting facilities working to meet the standards to operate under a state’s Cooperative Interstate Shipment program.

The RAMP-UP Act was signed into law by President Trump on December 27, 2020 as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.

MPIRG Grant Recipients in Kansas:

  • Burkhart Meat Processing (Kinsley): Doubles their current slaughter and processing capacity and obtain a Federal Grant of Inspection.
  • Alta Vista Locker (Alta Vista): Supports modernization of facilities to improve the safety and speed of the slaughter process.
  • Price Ventures (LaCygne): Expands current slaughter and processing capacity to meet demand by local producers currently served and increase access for new producers.
  • Freedom Meats (Caney): Expands and upgrades facility to a retail meat operation and finish obtaining Federal Grant of Inspection.
  • Circle P Processing (Waterville): Modernizes equipment, allowing for increased safety standards, to obtain a Federal Grant of Inspection.
  • Schenker Family Farms Inc. (McCune): Obtain a Federal Grant of Inspection to expand distribution channels for specialty foods.
  • BD Meats Inc (Yoder): Supports modifications necessary for Federal Grant of Inspection, expands facility size and allows renovation of freezer space to accommodate increased processing capacity.
  • Dieck's Inc (Clay Center): Increases production of raw and further processed meats and helps obtain Federal Grant of Inspection, allowing local producers to broaden markets.

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