In an effort to expand meat and poultry processing capacity and increase competition in agricultural markets, the USDA announced an investment of over $500 million in the American Rescue Plan, as part of the Build Back Better Initiative. The plan will provide grants, loans and technical assistance to support new processing facilities and help alleviate supply chain bottlenecks, with the ultimate goal of giving local producers more competitive opportunities. As part of the plan, $150+ million will be invested in smaller processing facilities affected by COVID and position them to better compete in the marketplace. The news followed President Biden’s Executive Order, which outlined a plan to help level the playing field for independent family farmers and ranchers. Read more about the details of the $500+ million investment in farmers and ranchers.