Dozens of small meat processors share in first-round of ARPA-funded state grants | Nebraska Examiner

LINCOLN — For 39 years, Pelican’s Meat Processing has been the customized slaughterhouse of selection within the southeast Nebraska farm city of Johnson. 

This week, homeowners discovered the processor will probably be amongst dozens of small locker vegetation that may obtain grants of as much as $80,000 to assist bolster the state’s potential to course of beef, pork and different livestock.

Sandie Lavigne, whose father, Frank Pelican, owns the Johnson enterprise, mentioned that cash may assist tackle an issue many small companies face right this moment — a scarcity of staff.

May assist hold, entice staff

“There’s six of us, once we’re all right here,” Lavigne mentioned.

The $80,000 grant awarded to Pelican’s Meat Processing could possibly be used to buy a brand new meat wrapping machine, she mentioned, or to assist repay a mortgage for a brand new carcass cooler.

Both one may make working on the locker plant somewhat simpler for the largely older workforce Lavigne mentioned is out there within the Nemaha County space.

Earlier this week, the Nebraska Division of Agriculture introduced a complete of $4.9 million in grants to 64 meat processing amenities throughout the state by way of the state’s Unbiased Processor Help Program.

ARPA funds used

This system was launched this spring by the Nebraska Legislature and Gov. Pete Ricketts. It makes use of $10 million of the state’s $1 billion allocation from President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act, a federal effort to jump-start an financial system slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This system targets small meat processors like Pelican’s with fewer than 25 staff and fewer than $2.5 million in yearly gross sales — companies that struggled to select up the slack when processing at bigger, company slaughtering amenities fell behind in the course of the pandemic.

Steve Wellman, director of the Nebraska Division of Agriculture, mentioned the grants will assist Nebraska livestock producers and meat processors strengthen the nation’s meals provide.

 “By these grants, meat processing amenities can implement tasks that may profit meat processing efforts,” Wellman mentioned in a press launch. “These grants function a reminder that Nebraska is dedicated to the meat processing business, and we worth its significance to agriculture.”

One supporter of the grant program, Johnathan Hladik of the Middle for Rural Affairs, mentioned Wednesday that these small meat processors didn’t obtain the state and federal assist that their a lot bigger counterparts loved, although they handled the very same challenges.

“We understood the sacrifices native lockers needed to make,” Hladik mentioned, which is why they supported creation of the grant program.

Second spherical of grants subsequent 12 months

In whole, the Ag Division will award roughly $9.8 million in grants via the Unbiased Processor Help Program. 

A second spherical of grants will probably be allotted within the first half of 2023, till funding is gone.

Earlier recipients will probably be eligible to use in subsequent rounds, however desire will probably be given to functions not awarded funding beforehand, a Ag Division spokeswoman mentioned. 

For extra data, contact Breanna Wirth, NDA Legislative Coordinator, at 402-890-1509 or [email protected]

First-round recipients that obtained $80,000 every: 4 His Glory, Hay Springs; Ace & Ida Inc., Ord; AK Meats LLC, Naper; Albion Locker, Albion; ASC Lockers, West Level; B and J Predominant Road Market, Humphrey; B & B Locker, Wynot; B.I.G. Meats, Omaha; Belschner Meats, Amherst; Borchard Customized Cuts, Benkelman; Busy Bones Butcher, Cozad; C.R. Packing, Gordon; Cedar Rapids Locker, Cedar Rapids; C&G Wild Recreation Processing, LLC, Seneca; Chuckwagon Meats, Arthur; Cornelius Butchery, Pickrell; Cornhusker Beef Firm, Johnson; Nation Butcher, Humphrey; Den’s Nation Meats, Desk Rock; Diller Locker, Diller; Elmwood Meat Plant, Elmwood;  Flat Water Meats, Snyder; Franklin Locker, Franklin; Gentert Packing, Holstein; Grant Packing, Grant; HD Processing dba Blue River Meats, Crete; Hearty Rancher, Paxton; Homeland Processing, Niobrara: Husker Meats, Ainsworth; Jansen’s Customized Minimize, Rushville; KB High quality Meat, Blair; Kelley’s Customized Pack, North Platte; McLean Beef, York; M-Ok Meats, Unadilla; NE Household,  Springview; Nelson’s Butcher Store, Ceresco; North Bend Locker, North Bend; Oakland Meat Processing, Oakland; Patriot Beef, Deshler; Pelican’s Meat, Johnson; Pickrell Locker, Pickrell; Polk Locker, Polk; Prairie Processing, Paxton; R & M Meats, Norfolk; Ravenna Locker, Ravenna, Rodriguez Brothers Processing, Mitchell; Desk High Meats, Hemingford; The Rusty Butcher, Central Metropolis; Twin Cities Pack, Gering; Twin Loups High quality Meats, St. Paul; Valentine Locker, Valentine; Wahoo Locker, Wahoo; Whiskey Creek Critters, Fordyce; Wildcat Locker Inc., Filley; Willow Creek Meats, McCook; Winfield Meals, Aurora.

Grant recipients that acquired different quantities: Faltin Meat Market, Howells, $66,000; Fremont Meat Market, Fremont, $79,176: Melcher’s Locker,  Lindsay, $19,000: Oxford Locker, Oxford, $75,000; Shelton Locker, Shelton, $17,500; Steve’s Butcher Store, Doniphan, $32,000; Fairfield Butcher Store, Fairfield, $75,000; Wausau Lockers, Wausau, $70,000.