USDA's Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity Technical Assistance Program (MPPTA)

What does the MPPTA Offer?
Access to technical experts from across industry, academia and state and federal government.
Focused content for diverse stakeholders, including family-owned, rural, minority-owned, Native American and Tribal-owned businesses, and other underserved entities seeking to build or expand meat and poultry processing and supply chain capacity.
General assistance with navigating USDA grant application and award processes, and successful post-award grant management
One-one-one advising, including project and proposal reviews tailored to the specific needs of diverse stakeholders, from small and very small processors and new enterprise startups to organizations developing regional concepts and established mid-sized processing companies.
Educational resources, events, and webinars covering topics of interest for meat and poultry processing enterprises of all types.
Note: The MPPTA Program does not offer or provide contractor services or financial capital. It does not offer grant writing or project management services, nor does the voluntary use of MPPTA guarantee the success of a grant application or the grant-funded project.
In March 2022, AMS identified the following organizations to serve as TA Providers:
Oregon State University- Niche Meat Processors Assistance Network
Intertribal Agriculture Council
American Association of Meat Processors
American Meat Science Association
Agricultural Utilization Research Institute
Upcoming Events
Boots in the Barn: Cornell Dairy Research Updates
January 13, 2026
January 20, 2026
January 27, 2026
February 3, 2026
February 10, 2026
February 17, 2026
February 24, 2026
Join us for some or all!
Southern Tier Crop Congress
January 28, 2026 : Southern Tier Crop Congress
Belfast, NY
Join SWNYDLFC and CCE Allegany County for the upcoming Southern Tier Crop Congress. CCA and DEC credits are available!
Northeast Grazing and Livestock Conference
January 30 - January 31, 2026 : Northeast Grazing and Livestock Conference
Manchester, NH
100% VIRTUAL OPTIONS AVAILABLE! This is the largest conference of its kind in New England and New York, bringing together over 300 farmers, graziers, educators, and service providers from across the Northeast. Over two days, we'll take a deep dive into topics specific to raising pasture-based livestock in our region
Announcements
Cows, Crops & Critters Newsletter Sponsorship
TRYING TO REACH GROWERS AND AGRIBUSINESSES IN OUR SOUTHWEST REGION OF NEW YORK?Weekly Email Update: Shared with 625+ households who have signed up with our program.
Monthly Paper Mailer: To reach our stakeholders and farmers who lack internet access, we send out a monthly mailer where your company's logo and contact information would be featured with a mailing list of 330+ households.
If you sponsor our weekly and monthly publications you reach approximately 955 households.





