Pennsylvania FY2026–2027 Very Small Meat and Poultry Processor Reimbursement Grant
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the FY2026–2027 Very Small Meat and Poultry Processor Reimbursement Grant Program. These are competitive applicant-facing financial-assistance awards to increase Pennsylvania meat and poultry processing capacity, support local producers and improve access to Pennsylvania-produced meat and poultry. The application window opened September 19, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. and closes November 6, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.; the controlling notice does not specify a time-zone abbreviation.
Individual applicant award, aggregate funds and reimbursement
Grants are limited to no more than $100,000 per approved applicant. The FY2026–2027 statewide program pool is at least $500,000 according to the September 19 Pennsylvania Bulletin; this is not an award to each applicant. Actual awards depend on funding and approved eligible expenses; the Department may prorate awards if resources are constrained. This is a reimbursement program. An applicant must first pay approved expenses, complete the project, show paid invoices and document qualifying USDA FSIS inspection before receiving reimbursement.
Who may apply
Only the owner of an eligible very small meat and poultry processing operation in Pennsylvania may receive an award. The operation must meet the federal very small establishment definition referenced in 9 CFR 381.65(g)(1)(i), and must either already operate under a USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) grant of inspection or commit, under penalty of law, to obtain one by completion of the approved project. Eligible operation types can include individual owners, partnerships, associations, firms and corporations if they meet the program requirements; ordinary applicants unrelated to very small meat/poultry processing are not eligible. Meat, poultry, eggs and certain catfish operations are among the covered processor types identified by the Department.
Match requirements, eligible and excluded costs
Eligible reimbursement includes consulting or technical support to achieve and maintain inspection, professional training, safety equipment or supplies, and slaughter/processing equipment and supplies. The program pays up to 85% of eligible processing-equipment or supply purchases, so applicants must cover the remaining 15% of those equipment costs. Other listed eligible expense types do not have a general matching requirement. Funds cannot pay for buildings or roof construction/renovation/repair, staff wages or salaries, in-kind contributions, costs incurred outside the approved cycle, or costs already reimbursed by other federal or state grants.
Required application and review
Apply through Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Electronic Single Application system. In the Addenda section upload the separately prepared applicant and corporate information, USDA FSIS inspection eligibility explanation, operational/processing categories, full project narrative, itemized budget, task list, timeline, equipment and professional-services details, documentation of how the project increases Pennsylvania slaughter/processing capacity and meat availability, and a signed compliance attestation. Demonstrate the ability to fund expenses before reimbursement. Applications are evaluated on a 100-point project-feasibility and public-benefit scale; approved awards require a grant agreement and final reporting/proof of payment and inspection.
Submit the full online application by November 6, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. The official Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture grant application page links to the submission system and full directions. The controlling Pennsylvania Bulletin FY2026–2027 Program Requirements, 56 Pa.B. 6183, Notice 26-1370, dated September 19, 2026 provide the full grant-cycle rules. A linked FAQ on the Department site may describe an earlier May 2026 application cycle; for this FY2026–2027 competition the controlling September 19 notice and current Department webpage specify November 6, 2026.
Current FY2026–2027 Department instructions and controlling September 19, 2026 Pennsylvania Bulletin notice reviewed October 24, 2026. This is an applicant reimbursement grant, not a purchasing/procurement contract.