Pictured: Region XII Executive Director Rick Hunsaker
Yesterday (Wednesday), the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that Carroll-based Region XII Council of Governments had been selected to receive a $15 million grant from the new Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program (MPILP) to improve market access for producers. Region XII Executive Director Rick Hunsaker says the industry has been dominated for years by a few companies, and there has been a push from both sides of the aisle in Washington, D.C. to loosen their grip.
He adds the top four processing companies for each species are excluded from the program to achieve those goals. Iowa joins Minnesota and North Carolina as the only states selected for this first round of funding. Hunsaker says the grant will be used as capital to start a revolving loan program for Iowa businesses involved in the meat packing supply chain.
Region XII primarily operates in west central Iowa, but this program is different, as it will be available to eligible applicants throughout the state. Hunsaker says initial funding targets kill facilities or secondary processors, but the program will open further within a few years.
Hunsaker says they are already working with USDA to get Region XII’s staff trained on program administration, but it could be after the start of the new year before they are ready to begin accepting applications. Applicants interested in the program are encouraged to contact Region XII directly for MPILP information.
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