Strengthening Local Processing Act of 2025

This bill aims to grow local meat and poultry processing, especially for small and very small plants. It tells the Department of Agriculture to offer free, easy-to-use help with food-safety plans, including an online database of approved studies and model plans within 18 months, and clear guidance within 2 years, while keeping business details confidential .

It increases federal support for state inspection programs to 65% (up from 50%). It also updates the interstate shipping program so somewhat larger state-inspected plants can take part (raising employee thresholds from 25–35 to 50–70), boosts the federal share under that program to 80%, and requires USDA to do outreach from 2026 through 2031 to expand participation . To build capacity and workforce, it creates new grants (up to $500,000) with simple applications and online access, covering things like equipment, cold storage and transport, protective gear and sanitation, humane handling areas, training time, business plans, and developing food‑safety plans. Projects that add slaughter options within 200 miles get priority. The federal share can be up to 90% for small grants and 75% for larger ones, with no local match needed in 2025–2026; $20 million per year is authorized for 2026–2031. It also funds local training and apprenticeships through schools, nonprofits, and processors to build a skilled workforce, at $10 million per year for 2025–2030 (schools) and 2026–2030 (processors) .

• Who is affected: small and very small meat and poultry plants; farmers and ranchers who need more local slaughter options; states with inspection programs; community colleges, training centers, nonprofits, and processors building workforce programs .
• What changes: free online safety tools and model plans; guidance within 2 years; confidentiality protected. Federal share for state inspection rises to 65%. The interstate program raises plant size thresholds to 50–70 employees, lifts the federal share to 80%, and adds annual outreach through 2031. New grants up to $500,000 fund equipment, safety, storage/transport, humane handling, training, business plans, and food‑safety plans, with simple applications and priority for increasing slaughter options within 200 miles .
• When: online tools due within 18 months; guidance due within 2 years. No local match required for grants awarded in FY 2025–2026. Processing grants authorized at $20 million per year for FY 2026–2031; training grants at $10 million per year for FY 2025–2030 (schools) and FY 2026–2030 (processors) .