USDA Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) Phase 3 Invasive Wild-Caught Catfish Funding Announcement

FUNDING PROGRAM: USDA Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) Phase 3 Invasive Wild-Caught Catfish Funding Announcement

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: RD-RBS-25-03-MPPEP

FUNDING AGENCY / AGENCIES: USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service

OPPORTUNITY: 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.

DESCRIPTION: 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 not only scale capacity and efficiency at processing facilities but also help to reduce Invasive Species populations that are decimating marine ecosystems and threatening the economy of the fishing industry.
COST SHARING: The applicant is required to share at least 50 percent of the total project cost.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS:

• Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments)
• For profit organizations other than small businesses
• Native American tribal governments (federally recognized)
• Small businesses
• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
• County governments
• City or township governments
• State governments

FUNDING AVAILABLE: Estimated Total Program Funding: $ 6,000,000; Award Ceiling: $1,000,000; Award Floor: $250,000

APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 06, 2025