The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has awarded over $208,000 in grants to 46 livestock processing plants and producers to help them increase capacity for slaughter processing and storage. State Ag Commissioner Thom Petersen says this need was brought on by the pandemic and earlier shutdowns or slowing of livestock processing. He says that caused more local selling of livestock.

He says they have two sources within the Agriculture Department that assisted with this processing and producer grant funding.

Petersen says MDA’s work with local processors began back in April during the height of the pandemic where they awarded 10 grants and with that need growing this recent funding help was added.

Petersen says this recent grant program requires a 1.1 match and expenses must make immediate impact on the state’s capacity to process or store Minnesota raised livestock, poultry, milk and eggs.