IARN — Money will soon be available to small meat lockers in Iowa thanks to a bill approved by the State Legislature.
On the final day of the 2021 session, the Iowa Senate took up a bill that was previously passed by the House in April to create a Butchery Innovation and Revitalization Fund. Through the Iowa Economic Development Authority, the bill would provide $750,000 in the first year to small meat lockers to help them expand and improve their operation.
Republican Representative Chad Ingels of Randalia is a farmer who helped craft the bill. During debate in April, Ingels said he spoke with numerous producers who wanted increased opportunities to sell their livestock locally and with consumers who wanted more chances to purchase directly from a farm.
“I think that this is a great bill for the entrepreneurs that operate our small and medium-sized lockers,” said Ingels. “It provides a lot of great opportunities for farmers that want to do some additional value-added things for their livestock operations. It provides consumers with a whole lot more choice locally. And I think it provides a lot of opportunities for main street businesses to keep money in the community.”
The grant funds will be made available to meat processing facilities that employ less than 50 people. The bill also instructs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a task force to study the feasibility of starting an artisanal butchery program at Iowa State University or a community college to increase the number of custom butchers in the state.
The Senate amended the bill, placing a provision that no more than 5% of the program’s funding be spent on administrative costs. The House also passed the amended version on the final day of the session and it now awaits Governor Kim Reynolds’ signature.
Story courtesy of the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network.
Pictured: Representative Chad Ingels (Photo by legis.iowa.gov)
