MARBIDCO Livestock Processing Grant Deadline September 15

Maryland Livestock Processing Equipment Grant Program Opens July 15, 2024
Program Focuses on expanding capacity of large animal and blue catfish processing facilities

ANNAPOLIS (July 15, 2024) – The Maryland Agriculture and Resource-Based Industry Development
Corporation (MARBIDCO) has announced the opening of the Maryland Livestock Processing Equipment
Grant Program to help assist with the expansion of livestock processing capacity in Maryland. This
program offers grants to eligible applicants to purchase livestock and meat processing equipment and/or upgrade facilities to help increase production in Maryland, with a particular focus on large animal and blue catfish processing. (Smaller scale poultry processing projects may also be eligible.)

For the Maryland Livestock Processing Equipment Grant Program, MARBIDCO will contribute up to
50% towards the eligible costs, with a maximum grant award amount of $50,000 for USDA-inspected
slaughter facility projects (including meat and blue catfish processing), and maximum grant award amount of $20,000 for other USDA-inspected facilities, custom-exempt processing, or mobile processing projects.

Eligible applicants include individuals and businesses who currently operate livestock and meat
processing enterprises in Maryland, as well as those that can start such operations by no later than
December 1, 2024. These applicants can include sole proprietorships, partnerships, cooperatives,
corporations, or LLCs.

Eligible expenses: Grant funds (and matching funds paid by the applicant) must be used to purchase
livestock and meat processing equipment for USDA-inspected facilities, custom-exempt or mobile
processing projects and/or upgrade facilities. Eligible expenses incurred prior to July 15, 2024, are not
eligible to be reimbursed using these grant funds.

The Maryland Livestock Processing Equipment Grant Program application for the Round 2 deadline is September 15, 2024. All applicants should expect to purchase or order of equipment by no later than December 31, 2024. Funds will be disbursed on a reimbursement basis (proof of payment required) or MARBIDCO can directly pay vendors with submission of approved invoices.

• Minimum Amount of Grant: $5,000
• Maximum Amount of Grant: $50,000 per project for USDA-inspected slaughter facilities
$20,000 per project for other USDA-inspected facilities, custom-exempt, or mobile processing
projects
• Match Required: Applicants are required to pay at least 50% of eligible project costs.

For more information about the Maryland Livestock Processing Equipment Grant Program, contact Sierra
Criste, MARBIDCO Financial Programs Associate, by email at scriste@marbidco.org or by telephone at
(410) 267-6807.

MARBIDCO was established 17-years ago by the Maryland General Assembly to help enhance the
sustainability and profitability of the State’s agricultural and resource-based industries in order to help
bolster rural economies, support locally produced food and fiber products, and preserve working farm
and forest land. MARBIDCO is a nimble, quasi-governmental financial intermediary organization that
has a mission to serve exclusively the commercial farming, forestry, and seafood industries of Maryland.
Young and beginning farmers are a special focus for MARBIDCO, as is farm operation diversification.
In delivering its financing programs, MARBIDCO works cooperatively with commercial banks and farm
credit associations, as well as a host of federal, State, regional, and local government agencies, and
universities. Since 2007, MARBIDCO has approved some 1,347 financings totaling more than $106
million for food and fiber business projects located in all Maryland’s counties – and in the process has
leveraged more than $221.3 million in commercial lender financing. For more information about
MARBIDCO’s programs, please visit: www.marbidco.org