Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. EDT,  the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering a free webinar, “USDA Assistance for Small Scale Meat Processing — An Overview of Rural Development and Food Safety Inspection Service Program Opportunities and Assistance.”

The USDA’s Rural Development offers loans, grants, and loan guarantees to assist small and very small meat processors, and USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service provides inspection services that broaden the marketplace for processors who are looking for more retail and commercial outlets.

The webinar will feature Secretary for Food Safety Mindy Brashears and Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand. She will explain how these opportunities and programs work together to support small scale meat processing.

Programs To Be Featured: 

• Business and Industry (B&I) Loan Guarantee Program
• B&I CARES Act Program
• Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Loan and Grant Program (REAP)
• REAP Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance Grants
• Value-Added Producer Grants Program
• Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program
• Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program
• Intermediary Relending Program
• Federal and State Inspection Programs

Webinar Topics: 

• Funding for Small Scale Processing
• How to Get a Federal Grant of Inspection
• State and Custom Exempt Inspection Programs