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The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is now requesting applications for the Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant (MPIRG) program for FY 2021. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 2, 2021. 

The purpose of this program is to support a range of eligible meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities, including facilities operating under State inspection or those exempt from Federal inspection, in making facility improvements and carrying out other planning activities necessary to obtain a Federal Grant of Inspection or to operate as a State-inspected facility that is compliant with the cooperative interstate shipment program under the Federal Meat Inspection Act or Poultry Products Inspection Act. Such entities may include, but are not limited to, commercial businesses, cooperatives, tribal enterprises, etc.

• Improving meat and poultry slaughter and processing capacity and efficiency;
• Developing new markets and expanding existing markets;
• Increasing capacity and better meeting consumer and producer demand;
• Maintaining strong inspection and food safety standards;
• Obtaining a larger commercial presence;
• Increasing access to slaughter/processing facilities for smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, socially disadvantaged producers, veteran producers, and underserved communities

1. Seeking to obtain a Federal Grant of Inspection under the FMIA or PPIA in the 50 States, American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, including those managed or owned by Tribal entities; or
2. Seeking to operate as a State-inspected facility compliant with either the FMIA under the CIS Program or the PPIA under the CIS Program by this RFA’s deadline.

Facilities that are exempt from Federal inspection under the FMIA and PPIA are also eligible. Exemptions may include, but are not limited to Custom, Retail, etc.

• Those that are currently Federally-inspected.
• Those that only process non-amenable species.

• Those in a State that DOES NOT participate in the CIS program.
• Those that process only Siluriformes (Catfish).

• Modernizing or expanding an existing facility (including expansion and modifications to existing buildings and/or construction of new buildings at existing facilities);
• Modernizing processing and manufacturing equipment (including cutting equipment, mixers, grinders, sausage stuffers, smokers, curing equipment, pipes, motors, pumps, and valves);
• Meeting packaging and labeling compliance requirements under applicable law (including sealing, bagging, boxing, labeling, conveying, and product moving equipment);
• Meeting occupational and other safety requirements under applicable law;
• Developing processes to ensure food safety;
• Accounting for costs associated with becoming an inspected facility (including HACCP consultation, employee training or technical assistance related to inspection, etc.)

There are two types of MPIRG Grants: Planning for a Federal Grant of Inspection Project and Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program Compliance.

1. Planning for a Federal Grant of Inspection Project (PFGI) — Applicants who apply for a PFGI Project must work toward obtaining Federal inspection or make a good faith effort toward doing so. To obtain a Federal Grant of Inspection, applicants must meet the regulatory requirements. General activities to meet these requirements are summarized below, and applicants should fully review the Federal Grant of Inspection Guide as well as requirements to Apply for a Grant of Inspection.

• Developing written Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (Sanitation SOPs), as required by the 9 CFR § 416.12 regulations;
• Conducting or having conducted a hazard analysis and a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan as required by 9 CFR §§ 417.2 and 417.4 regulations;
• Ensuring that the facility for which a Federal Grant of Inspection is sought is separate and distinct from nonofficial establishments (e.g., facilities where exempt operations (FMIA and
• PPIA) are conducted, or where food subject solely to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) jurisdiction is manufactured);
• Providing office space, rent free, for the exclusive use of inspectors and other FSIS program employees, per 9 CFR parts 307 and 381 requirements if requested inspection services will require one or more full-time inspectors;
• Submitting a schedule of hours of operation to FSIS;
• Submitting product labels for review and approval, to the Labeling Submission and Approval System, except for labels eligible for generic approval; and
• Meeting other applicable requirements for receiving inspection (see FSIS guidance).

• Submit all written programs, including supporting documentation, to FSIS Office of Field Operations (OFO) to determine if the written programs meet regulatory requirements;
• Request a physical walk-through of the facility by FSIS Office of Field Operations (OFO), who will determine if the facility meets regulatory requirements.

2. Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program (CIS) Compliance Project — Applicants who apply for a CIS Compliance Project must work toward CIS Program compliance requirements to operate a State-inspected facility or make a good faith effort toward doing so. These activities are summarized below, and applicants should fully review CIS Program requirements.

• Be located in a state that has established and continues to maintain an “at least equal to” State meat and/or poultry inspection program (MPI) that maintains regulatory standards recognized by FSIS and is participating in the CIS Program by this RFA’s deadline.
• Meet the requirements for a Grant of Inspection as issued by the State inspection program as well as all Federal requirements as verified by both the State and Federal inspection programs.
  • The State requirements are specific to the State issuing the Grant of Inspection, so applicants must familiarize themselves with the applicable requirements.
  • The Federal requirements are the same as those provided in section 1.4.1 Federal Grant of Inspection Project type.
• On average, employ no more than 25 employees (including supervisory and nonsupervisory employees on a full time, part-time, or temporary basis) as required by 9 CFR § 332.3(b).

Approximately $55.2 million is available to fund projects in fiscal year 2021. The maximum award amount for both project types is $200,000.

There is no cost sharing or matching requirement for fiscal year 2021.  

Projects may begin September 30, 2021 but must be completed no later than September 29, 2024.

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 2, 2021. 

The notice of funding opportunity can be found here.

For more information on this grant or how to apply with Morrison’s assistance, please contact the Morrison Grants Team by email at grants@morrisonco.net or call us at 530-893-4764.