Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program Phase III - Wild Caught Catfish

Applications for Phase III Invasive Wild Caught Catfish must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. on October 6, 2025
Click here for more information and to apply

The Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) provides grants to help eligible meat and poultry processors expand their capacity. USDA Rural Development designed this program to encourage competition and sustainable growth in the U.S. meat processing sector, and to help improve supply chain resiliency. The previous two phases of MPPEP provided funding for new facilities, as well as the renovation and expansion of existing ones.

USDA MPPEP Phase III is making competitive grant funding available specifically for the processing of wild-caught invasive catfish for purchase of equipment, including improvements, upgrades, renovations or retrofits to an existing Facility, needed to install the equipment to increase processing capacity of invasive, Wild-Caught catfish and overall volume of Processing. This will improve how well processing facilities work and help reduce invasive species that are damaging marine ecosystems and hurting the fishing industry.

Who can apply for this program?

• Purchasing or upgrading Processing and manufacturing equipment (including cutting, skinning, de-scaling, and de-boning equipment, mixers, grinders, pipes, motors, pumps, and valves);
• Developing, customizing, and installing equipment, devices, and technology that automates Processing functions to improve worker conditions and safety;
• Upgrading equipment to ensure food safety;
  
• Developing, customizing, and installing equipment that reduces emissions, increases efficient water use, and improves air and/or water quality to help lower operating costs at the Facility;
  
• Purchasing or upgrading composting equipment;
  
• Purchasing or upgrading packaging and labeling equipment;
  
• Making internal or minimal external improvements, upgrades, renovations or retrofits to an existing Facility needed to install the equipment;
  
• Ensuring compliance with occupational and other safety requirements under applicable law; including revising existing
• Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plans to include catfish; and
  
• Paying staffing or operational costs, including training specifically tied to implementing the proposed project.

What is the maximum grant amount?

The maximum award amount is $1 million, or 50 percent of total project costs, whichever is less. The minimum award amount is $250,000. A cost share of 50 percent of the total project is required. Applicants will be required to identify sources and amounts that will make up the 50 percent cost share in the application.

What are some other requirements?

Eligible applicants must:

• Currently process seafood or Wild-Caught catfish for commercial markets and have been in business for more than one year,
  
• Operate or plan to operate under a grant of inspection from USDA to process invasive, Wild-Caught catfish subject to the FMIA,
  
• Plan to increase Processing capacity for invasive, Wild-Caught catfish, at their existing Facility and
  
• Have a State Aquatic Nuisance Species or Invasive Species management plan that includes catfish.

Phase III FAQ

USDA Rural Development last week formally released an FAQ document addressing many of the questions processors have been asking as they prepare their grant applications. Download the document here.

Anyone preparing to apply for the MPPEP III to support processing Wild-Caught invasive catfish should thoroughly read this document, said Dave Carter, Flower Hill Institute Regional Director. “This can help applicants avoid pitfalls that can hurt their scores.”

Federal Grant Support

USDA’s Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity - Technical Assistance (MPPTA) Program ensures that participants in the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Supply Chain programs and initiatives have access to robust technical assistance (TA) to support their project development and success. The Flower Hill Institute serves as the overall Technical Assistance Coordinator for the MPPTA Program, working closely with AMS and the TA Providers to connect meat and poultry processors, USDA grant applicants, and grant-funded project managers to the resources and expertise best suited to support a project’s needs. AAMP serves as one of the TA providers for the program. For more information, visit Flower Hill Institute at https://flowerhill.institute/usda-mppta.

Grant Writing

For a primer on applying for USDA grants, read this article from Samantha Egolf, Ph.D.

Grant Writing Services

(AAMP does not endorse any grant writers and encourages members to perform due diligence before hiring a professional.)

HACCP Assurance Services
consultant@haccpassurance.com
(800) 265-0456
haccpassurance.com

Samantha Egolf
Samantha.r.egolf@gmail.com

Andrew Lorenz, We R Food Safety!
andrew@werfoodsafety.com
715-309-2980

Stephen Ussery, Dept. of Ag Rural Business-Cooperative Service: Value Added Producer Grants
stephen@stewardsunlimited.com
423-284-8221

Scott Lathe, Freelance Grant Writer
scottlathe@msn.com
www.upwork.com