More Funding For Meat Processing Grant Fund

LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Department of Agriculture has announced the complete list of recipients for funding
through the Arkansas Meat and Poultry Processing Grant Program.

The program was previously approved and provided funding of $5 million by the CARES Act Steering Committee
and the Arkansas Legislative Council. An additional $5.4 million in funding for the program was approved today
bringing the total funding available through the program to $10.4 million.

31 facilities were selected for funding, including:

JACO Meats – Hope

OK Beef – Nashville

“Recipients of this funding will help address the lack of local, small-scale meat processing capacity in Arkansas
that limited our producers’ ability to meet consumer demand for locally grown meat products during the COVID19 related disruptions. Expanded processing capacity will build resiliency within the industry and benefit
producers, consumers, and our rural communities,” said Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward.

A review committee consisting of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association,
Arkansas Farm Bureau, the Livestock Marketing Association, Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry, the
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, and the United States Department of Agriculture
evaluated the applications and selected recipients.

“One of the main goals of the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association is to further develop and strengthen the cattle
and beef industry here in Arkansas, and this Meat Processing Grant will do exactly that. The COVID-19 pandemic
made it abundantly clear that federally inspected processing capability in Arkansas was far beneath what is
needed. By helping state processors become fully USDA inspected the food supply chain of Arkansas is further
protected and bolstered; benefiting both cattle producers and consumers. We appreciate the Arkansas
Department of Agriculture for submitting these requests, and we appreciate the CARES Act steering committee
and Arkansas State Legislature for their approval,” said Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association President Bernie
Freeman.

“The response to the initial $5 million grant to expand our state’s packing capacity highlighted the clear need for
additional support for this effort,” said Arkansas Farm Bureau President Rich Hillman. “Arkansas livestock
producers are ready to provide our state’s families with more high quality, locally produced protein. We are
happy about this additional $5.4 million in funding. This is a critical step that will help get more Arkansas meat
products to consumers, schools, and restaurants. This is an opportunity to impact some of our rural economies
and that is needed right now.”

“Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry has been working with meat processors across the state for the past 20
years. We work with both custom and USDA facilities to provide wild game meat to food banks and feeding
agencies across the state. It became clear that many facilities were not able to handle the increasing demand for
beef over the past several months. Arkansas needs more processing facilities to meet the increasing demand.
Funding from the CARES Act will allow processors to upgrade and expand their facilities. Our thanks to all those
involved in making this a reality,” said Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry Executive Director Ronnie Ritter.

“These grants are important to expanding meat processing capabilities in Arkansas,” said Ed Mabry, extension
rural development program associate for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and member
of the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission. Mabry, whose work is in economic development in Arkansas,
knows the meat industry, having worked in both processing and retail. “We learned a hard lesson at the
beginning of the COVID pandemic, when panic buying ensued and the industry could not meet the need, that we
needed to look at developing new or enhancing current processing capacity in Arkansas,” he said. “With 45
applications seeking over $30 million in grants, it’s gratifying to see the powerful response we’ve received to this
program in the state and its potential to make a difference in our economy.”

The Department received 45 applications requesting a total of more than $30 million in grant funding. Selected
recipients will receive 85.9 percent of the amount requested up to a cap of $500,000 per application.
Collectively, the applicants receiving awards anticipate increasing processing capacity throughout the state by
over 2,000 head of cattle, 850 hogs, 7,400 poultry, and eight goats and sheep per month. The applicants also
anticipate utilizing 258 full-time positions and 75 part-time positions. Recipients will also provide additional
further processing and value-added capacity and assist with education and workforce development.

Arkansas ranks 10th in the nation in the value of animals and animal products that provide more than $5.6 billion
to the state’s economy annually. In the 2019 production year, Arkansas was ranked 10th in the nation in beef
cow inventory and 25th in the nation in cattle and calves with 510,641,000 pounds of production.