Wisconsin, like many states, is utilizing federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to support resiliency in the meat processing industry. Utilizing these funds, Gov. Tony Evers has created several initiatives to support Wisconsin’s meat industry.
Meat and Poultry Supply Chain Resiliency Grants
Gov. Evers’ 2021-23 biennial budget included $200,000 in each year of the biennium for Meat Processor Infrastructure Grants, which enabled meat processors to invest in their facilities and expand their production. In the first year of these grants, DATCP received 100 applications requesting more than $4.4 million in funding. The first recipients of these grants were announced on May 5, 2022.
Recognizing the high demand for the Meat Processor Infrastructure Grants, Gov. Evers created the Meat and Poultry Supply Chain Resiliency Grants, investing up to $10 million in ARPA funds to continue to grow Wisconsin’s meat processing industry and improve the long-term viability of the state’s livestock industry. Through this grant, meat processors in Wisconsin have the ability to apply for grants of up to $150,000. Applications for the grant were released in May, and the application period will close on August 19, 2022.
Meat Talent Development Program
Earlier this year, Gov. Evers announced up to $5 million in the Meat Talent Development Program to help attract students to meat careers, provide financial support to students in Wisconsin meat processing training programs, support program development, and connect the meat processing industry with potential employees. DATCP has been working collaboratively with stakeholders, universities, technical colleges, high schools, meat processors, and groups representing farmers to develop the program.
After months of development, DATCP has launched the “Meat Pathways” website, a critical component of this program. The website is designed to help job seekers identify careers in the meat industry that fit their talents and ambitions as well as connect them with employers. This unique tool will be used to attract new talent to Wisconsin’s meat industry and garner interest in careers that support the industry. The new website is available at https://meatpathways.wi.gov/.
In addition to this exciting news, DATCP has been working closely with universities and technical colleges to develop or build on meat processing educational opportunities. Recently, DATCP announced that the Meat Talent Development Program will be providing tuition reimbursement for Wisconsinites that complete a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) training hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison on August 17-18, 2022. Participants that complete the training will receive a certificate of completion and their name will be added to a registry of HACCP trained individuals that is maintained by the International Meat and Poultry HACCP Alliance.
Looking to the future, DATCP will continue working to develop and implement additional educational and talent development opportunities through the program. For more information on these initiatives, visit DATCP’s website and sign-up for email updates.
