Ohio Boosts Meat Processing with $14M to Make High-Quality, Affordable Meat More Accessible
Ohio is investing $14 million to revitalize its meat processing industry, aiming to bring affordable, high-quality meat to local consumers.
The funding, part of the state’s ongoing Ohio Meat Processing Grant Program, is set to modernize facilities, support small businesses, and strengthen local food supply chains across Ohio.
According to Lt. Governor Jon Husted, “These grants allow small businesses to create the efficiency and productivity they need to compete and provide locally grown food at an affordable price.”
Supporting Local Meat Producers
The fourth round of funding in the Ohio Meat Processing Grant Program will benefit 51 local companies, empowering them to construct new facilities and upgrade current equipment.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Director of Development Lydia Mihalik announced the initiative, emphasizing that the goal is to bolster the state’s small-scale processors against larger meat providers.
“A lot of these companies have taken that opportunity to fund new equipment, new, more efficient operational equipment,” explained Brian Baldridge, Ohio’s Director of Agriculture.
In this program, each business must contribute 35% of the grant amount they receive, an arrangement that leverages the state’s support to generate additional investment.
For instance, if a company undertakes a $5 million project, it could receive a grant of $500,000 while contributing $175,000. Baldridge noted, “We’ve turned, just on their commitment, turned 14 million into $20 million.”
Driving Economic Growth and Community Resilience
The program targets not only food quality and affordability but also job creation and local workforce development.
The grant covers everything from machinery to technology, creating a ripple effect that benefits Ohio’s food industry as a whole.
Baldridge emphasized the program’s potential impact on the labor market, stating, “Ohio needs more workers each and every day, and this sector is no different.”
In essence, this funding is poised to make Ohio’s agriculture industry a stronger player in the $124 billion food economy, while also ensuring families across the state have access to fresh, locally produced meat at reasonable prices.
Learn how investments in small meat processors are improving quality and affordability by heading to our homepage.
