Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today nine Choose Iowa Butchery Innovation Grant recipients to expand small-scale meat processing capacity within Iowa.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship says in a press release that these cost-share grants, totaling $355,000, are being awarded to nine small businesses across the state in need of essential equipment and facility improvements. Projects include the addition of new smokehouses, installation of freezer systems, expansion of processing lines, and the replacement or modernization of vital equipment.
Secretary Naig made the announcement Wednesday morning at Maxwell Custom Beef in Des Moines, one of the recipients of the grant.
Naig says the grants will help local meat processors to expand their processing capacity.
Tucker Maxwell is the owner of Maxwell Custom Beef and says that he recently purchased the business from previous owners, Amend Packing Company.
Maxwell tells the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network that the Choose Iowa Butchery Innovation Grant will help to double processing capacity each week. He adds that he enjoys being the link between the local farmer and consumer.
IDALS says Choose Iowa received 23 grant requests totaling over $1.5 million, showing strong interest and demand from processors statewide.
Choose Iowa Butchery Innovation Grant recipients
Weaver Meats | Afton | $40,000
Purchase of a RTE cooler and Enviro-Pak smokehouse.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $105,119
Cherokee Locker | Cherokee | $75,000
Purchase of a freezer and expansion of the cut and packing line.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $512,287
Maxwell Custom Beef (formerly Amend Packing Company) | Des Moines | $20,000
Upgrade and modernization of processing equipment.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $57,683
Tiefenthaler Quality Meats (Food Locker Service, Inc.) | Holstein | $45,000
Addition of a smokehouse.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $129,877
Milo Locker Meats (Tribal Meat LLC) | Milo | $75,000
Purchase and installation of a freezer facility.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $282,000
Friedrichsen Meat Company | Sutherland | $25,000
Purchase of a meat slicer, vacuum sealer and automatic double clipper for ground meat packaging.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $110,436
Skoglund Meats | West Bend | $25,000
Addition of a smokehouse.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $292,180
Winthrop Locker LLC | Winthrop | $25,000
Purchase of a 500T smokehouse.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $62,166
Yetter Locker | Yetter | $25,000
Incorporate harvest floor improvements, a rail processing cooler, and a finished product walk-in freezer.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $388,872
Full details about the grant requirements are available on the Choose Iowa website.
