Pixabay
Pixabay
The rapid spread of COVID-19 has dealt a blow to many businesses, one of them being the meat products business.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has been forced to step in to help producers of smaller herds to deal with the market crisis.
According to the MDA website, the closure of meat processing plants to stop the spread of COVID-19 has affected the meat business, which has forced the department to match small-scale herders with other market opportunities, as well as other slaughter facilities.
Nine Minnesota meat processors will be the beneficiary of $345,000 awarded by MDA as AGRI Value-Added Grants. The grant comes after Value-Added Grants in FY20, amounting to $1 million was awarded to these meat processors.
The funds from the grant are aimed at improving the facilities by increasing the freezer spaces to accommodate more meat. The meat processing plants are also required to comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
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