NASDA recommendations for federal meat processing funds

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NASDA recommendations for federal meat processing funds

The National Association of State Agriculture Departments recommends flexibility in the $500 million dollars in American Rescue Plan funds for small and medium-sized meat processing facilities.

CEO Barb Glenn, in submitted comments, says NASDA encourages USDA to provide funding to all those processors, regardless of being federally inspected, state inspected, or a custom exempt processing facility.

She says state departments of agriculture play a central role in identifying and coordinating relationships and leading outreach and regulatory authority to state meat inspection facilities.

Glenn says they recommend flexible funding to address workforce and inspector shortages and making infrastructure investments at those meat processing facilities a priority.

NASDA say the food system must be improved to handle any future challenges.

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