PENNSYLVANIA — The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture announced recipients of $1.58 million in 2022-23 Very Small Meat and Poultry Processors Reimbursement Grants. The grants, awarded to 20 processors in 15 counties, were created under the historic PA Farm Bill in 2019 build small businesses’ capacity to meet demand for local foods.
“This crucial grant helps small processors feed local demand,” said Cheryl Cook, Agriculture Deputy Secretary. “We saw vividly during the pandemic that shorter supply chains not only give customers the local products they crave, but help small producers beef up their bottom lines and stay in business when large, multi-state operations may struggle.”
The announcement was made at Cabin Hollow Butcher Shop in Dillsburg, with Owner and President Darryl Jones accepting a $100,000 grant. Since its inception, the Very Small Meat and Poultry Processors Grant has reimbursed $2 million to support expansion of 35 businesses.
This is the fourth year the grant has been offered through the efforts of the Wolf Administration and the General Assembly in creating the first-in-the-nation state Farm Bill.
“Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been buying more food to keep at home, which has created large backlogs of jobs for processors like us,” said Jones. “Through the grant, our facility can purchase high-efficient equipment that will increase production by 500%, shortening wait times, serving more customers, and allowing us to share more with our community.”
“In times of hardship, we turn to partnerships, including charitable food organizations like our Feeding Pennsylvania partners, to sustain us and see us through. With grants like the Very Small Meat and Poultry Processors Grant, we’re building a firm bedrock to support our communities and commonwealth for the future,” said Deputy Secretary Cook.
Following are the grant recipients, by county and amount received:
Adams
- Chapel Ford Farm, $99,300
- Rettland Farm LLC, $100,000
Bucks
- Ely Pork Products, Inc., $60,980
Butler
- Schnurs Country Market, $39,000
Centre
- Abattoir Associates, DBA Rising Spring Meat Company, $50,000
Cumberland
- Route 174 Roadside Market, $39,000
Lackawanna
- Benjamin Rust, Mud Pond Farm, $77,547
Lehigh
- Lehigh Valley Meats, $100,000
- Slate Belt Butchery, $43,000
Monroe
Stryker Farm, LLC, $100,000
- Primal Supply Meats, $25,000
Schuylkill
- Mease Meats, INC, $99,364
- Miller Charm Farm, LLC, $78,417
Susquehanna
- John Stahl Waldon Custom Meats, $85,000
Tioga
- Richard Mead Jr | Sylvester Quality Meats, $100,000
Washington
- Birch Creek Farmery Co., $99,200
Wayne
- Four Story Hill Farm, $84,020
- The Alpine Wurst and Meat House, $100,000
- Wayne County Home Meats, $100,000
York
- Cabin Hollow Butcher Shop Inc, DBA Warrington Farm Meats, $100,000
To learn more about PA Farm Bill grant programs and find a map of prior recipients, visit agriculture.pa.gov/pafarmbill.
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