Oregon Meat Processing Infrastructure and Capacity Building Grant Program

The Oregon Department of Agriculture administers a grant program to improve the infrastructure and operating capacity of Oregon meat processors, funding upgrades to and construction of establishments that operate under a program of state or federal meat inspection. The Oregon Legislature appropriated $10,000,000 for the 2025-2027 biennium under Senate Bill 363, extending the grant program (originally established by HB 2785) through January 2, 2028.

Registered meat processors in Oregon: official federal establishments under continuous USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) inspection, or establishments planning to operate under the State of Oregon Meat Inspection Program, processing animals raised in Oregon.

Per OAR 603 division 8: grant funds of up to $750,000 per application; all grant funds must be distributed by June 30 of the biennium in which the grant was awarded. Preference given to establishments prioritizing seasonally feasible processing of animals raised in Oregon. NOTE: ODA's program page still displays the closed 2023-2025 application cycle (deadline Jan 18, 2024); the current 2025-2027 cycle's specific RFA dates are not yet published as of this writing.

ODA runs the grant through a periodic Request for Applications (RFA) process rather than a standing open application. When a funding round opens, ODA posts an application form (English and Spanish), program guidelines, and a review sheet on the program's website, plus a timeline covering the RFA opening, an informational webinar, the application deadline, award announcements, and the spending deadline. As of this review (September 2026), the program page still displays the RFA materials and dates for the closed 2023-2025 grant cycle (deadline extended to 5pm Thursday, January 18, 2024); no specific application window has yet been posted for the current 2025-2027 biennium's $10 million appropriation under SB 363. Prospective applicants should watch the ODA Meat Processing Grant page for the next RFA announcement or contact ODA directly (see contacts).