LOANS & GRANTS

The Meat Processing Expansion Grant Round 2 (MPEG Round 2) program will fund projects to support the expansion/retention of existing licensed meat processing facilities and the establishment of new licensed meat processing facilities in the state to increase opportunities for beef, pork and other meat farmers to process meat within the state and to increase the market viability of NYS sourced meat. This program addresses the nationwide shortage of affordable meat available to consumers, including the availability of protein sources for schools and institutional facilities in the state.  In addition to capital improvements at processing facilities, the MPEG Round 2 program also supports increased meat processing and market access through the development of the labor force and support of food safety upgrades at facilities. MPEG Round 2 funds extend this opportunity to 5-A licensed processors, 20C processors, and USDA processors. 

Processed products developed through the grant must contain a minimum of 51% raw agricultural ingredients grown or raised in New York State. Funds provided by this grant will be used to invest in the cost of construction, renovation, alteration, rehabilitation, improvements, installation, acquisition, repair or replacement of buildings, equipment, or permanent facilities to support the preparation, processing, packaging, and storage of processed New York meat products. Non-edible products are eligible under this grant as long as the applicant also produces meat products for human consumption and the non-edible products are a value-addition to existing processing activities and contribute toward full-carcass utilization. 

Application period opens: July 9, 2026
Application deadline: September 23, 5:00 pm Eastern

No late submissions will be accepted. Incomplete submissions will not be considered.
This is a New York State funded program and is not affected by any federal actions.

Priorities and Objectives
Project approaches must focus on producing meat products for institutional, wholesale and/or retail markets. The program will provide capital funding to continue to equip the State to meet the demands of local sourcing initiatives, such as Farm-to-School/NYS 30% Initiative, Nourish NY and Executive Order 32. Processed products developed through the grant must contain a minimum of 51% raw agricultural ingredients grown or raised in New York State. Projects that will expand output capacity and business revenue will be most competitive.

Funding is available for projects related to the following activities: 

• Expansion of meat processing and processed product creation

• Aggregation and storage, as part of a larger processing expansion project 

• Operational efficiency improvements 

• Improving food safety standards for processing facilities in order to access new markets, with a focus on institutional sales

• Increase/retain processing capacity through job training

Funding Priorities:

• Projects focused on products marketed to Nourish NY, Farm to School, or other institutional markets

• Businesses with USDA-Inspected facilities

• Further geographic diversity of NYS meat processing capacity
  
   

Estimated Funding Timeline
 

RFP Opened: July 9, 2026

Virtual Open Business Hours:

(registration required): Wednesday, July 22, 2026 12:00-1:00 pm

Virtual Open Business Hours: 

(registration required): Wednesday, August 26, 2026 12:00-1:00 pm

Application Deadline: September 23, 5:00 pm Eastern

Awarding: Late 2026

Projects must be completed by: October 31, 2029
 

Grant Amount
At least $4,714,511 will be available to eligible applicants. 

• Maximum award is $250,000. Applicants may not request more than this amount per project. 

• Minimum award is $50,000. Applicants must request at least this amount per project.
   

There is a 20% match requirement for this program. Matching funds must be for eligible grant expenses and contributed proportionately to each grant budget item at the time of request for reimbursement. 

Eligibility
Eligible applicants include the following entities:

• For-profit businesses currently operating under USDA-Inspected, NYS 20C, or NYS 5A 20,000 Bird Small Enterprise Exemption licenses or who will secure such licensure during the grant period

• Start-up enterprises; applicants must demonstrate sufficient financial and land resources and technical knowledge at the time of application. 

• Nonprofit organizations that are currently generating revenue through the listed licensed meat processing-related activities

Municipal Governments and Educational Institutions are not eligible to apply. 

All applicant types must process meat products in New York State and must comply with all Federal and New York State laws and regulations.


What is Eligible?
Eligible grant expenses will include the construction, renovation, adaptation, purchase, and/or installation of structures, equipment, supplies, and other expenses related to the processing of meat products (beef, pork, lamb, goat, poultry, and seafood), as well as costs related to NYS Department of Labor meat processing apprenticeship requirements. An example list of expenditures is provided below. Items not included in the list below may be considered eligible only if they align with the objectives and goals of the program. Eligible project costs relating to building construction, building renovation, and/or equipment that exceed $5,000 must be supported by a current quote or estimate. Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to:

• Renovation of buildings or facilities

• Rehabilitation of buildings or facilities

• Purchase, shipping and installation of equipment

  • Equipment that increases the safety of processed meat products, such as metal detectors, is eligible

• Acquisition of equipment or pre-fabricated facilities

• Expansion of buildings or facilities

• Professional Services: design, legal, permitting and other professional services related to assessing, designing, or approving the proposed project after grant award (pre-award costs are NOT allowable)

• The cost of training requirements for 144 annual hours of Related Instruction for Apprenticeships as required by the NYS Department of Labor. 

Expenses paid by the applicant before the start of the grant contract period will be ineligible.

An eligible application will demonstrate the following: 
 

1. The reason that the business’s existing equipment and systems do not meet their current growth plans, and how this grant project is both timely and necessary for the business to succeed and expand. 

2. The project is part of a proactive plan for future operation and continued business viability, with measurable results. 

3. The project will have significant positive impacts on applicant’s business. 

4. The business is a reliable producer and is in good standing with its buyers as demonstrated in the letter of support from a buyer (see Letter of Support section in the RFP). 

5. Demonstrates the business has a history of sourcing animals and ingredients raised in NY, as demonstrated in submitted support letter(s).

6. Applicant demonstrates an awareness and readiness to implement the activities described, through quotes, plans, letters of support, etc. 

7. New products or product lines must demonstrate that the product is viable through product testing, formulation trials, nutritional analysis, confirmation of demand, and/or buyer commitments.

8. How the project will substantively impact the industry and address existing supply chain gaps.

Ineligible Activities
Ineligible expenses include, but are not limited to: 

• Personnel and fringe expenses

• Travel expenses, including that pertaining to equipment acquisition 

• Training expenses other than DOL-Related Instruction, including for the use of new equipment or otherwise 

• Expenses paid by the applicant before the start of the grant period 

• Land purchases or leases 

• Equipment leases 

• Vehicles

• Normal operating costs 

• Shared use kitchens

• Projects focused solely on the installation or construction of standalone waste removal facilities. 

  • Expenses related to improving the capacity to manage waste removal in a processing facility are potential eligible expenses.

To Apply

• Read the full RFP to learn about the application process and what you will be required to submit with your application.
   

• Gather documentation listed in the RFP to be submitted with your application such as letters of support, letters of commitment, most recent passing operation inspection documentation, and any cost quotations as needed.
   

• Visit https://ffgf.smapply.us/res/p/Home-Page
   

• If you do not already have an account with HVADC or affiliate Farm and Food Growth Fund (FFGF), set up an account by using the Register button in the top right-hand corner of the page. Reference the How to Create an Account on Survey Monkey guide below.
   

• Select the NYS Meat Processing Expansion Round 2 Grant program and proceed to begin your application.
   

• You are not required to complete the application process in a single sitting. The form enables you to save your progress and resume at a later time or date from where you left off. It's important to note that none of your saved responses are final until you officially submit your application, allowing you to make changes or edits as needed.

Resources

• NYS Meat Processing Expansion Grant Round 2 RFP 

• RFP en español  - Si necesita alguna de esta información en español, comuníquese con Linnette Díaz - ldiaz@hvadc.org 

• How to Create an Account on Survey Monkey

• Step by Step Video: How to Complete the Application

• Frequently Asked Questions

• Technical Assistance for meat processors:

• Cornell Cooperative Extension meat processing resources. 

• Video with details about the NYS DOL Butcher Apprenticeship

• PDF with details about the NYS DOL Butcher Apprenticeship

• Virtual Open Business Hours (registration required): Wednesday, July 22, 2026, 12:00-1:00pm

• Virtual Open Business Hours (registration required): Wednesday, August 26, 2026 12:00-1:00pm

For questions, please email us at mpeg@hvadc.org.

Support is generally available during business hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm ET.  Assistance may not be available shortly before deadlines.

Beyond the NYS Meat Expansion Grant Program, HVADC offers numerous funding and Business Technical Assistance programs that are available for farms and food businesses to access.