ANNAPOLIS, Md. — 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 much-needed expansion of livestock processing capacity in Maryland.
This program offers grants to eligible applicants to purchase livestock 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 March 31, 2025. 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 December 2, 2024, are not eligible to be reimbursed using these grant funds.
All applicants should purchase or order equipment no later than April 30, 2025. 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.
The Maryland Livestock Processing Equipment Grant Program application deadline is January 17, 2025.
For more information about the Maryland Livestock Processing Equipment Grant Program, contact Sierra Criste, MARBIDCO Financial Programs Specialist, by email at [email protected] 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 1,410 financings totaling more than $111.9 million for food and fiber business projects located in all Maryland’s counties – and in the process has leveraged more than $231 million in commercial lender financing. For more information about MARBIDCO’s programs, please visit: www.marbidco.org
–Jill Zarend, MARBIDCO
