WASHINGTON D.C. (NMB) – In a press release, Senator Jon Tester announced that over $7.8 million in COVID-relief funds from the American Rescue Plan are being awarded to 30 Montana small businesses upon the recommendation of the USDA.
The grants will help expand local meat processing capacity and are intended for value added agriculture projects and small businesses.
Local businesses along the Hi-Line receiving meat processing grants or general agriculture awards:
- Bear Paw Meats is receiving $150,000 to increase capacity at their state inspected slaughter floor
- Pekovitch Meats in Malta is receiving $45,000 for expansion and custom exempt meat processing equipment upgrades
- Prairie Meats LLC in Lothair is receiving $150,000 for expansion and custom exempt meat processing equipment upgrades
- Big Sandy Organics is receiving $400,000 for expansion of their food manufacturing facility
- Commercial Lynks Inc. in Ledger is receiving $277,972 for expansion and pulse crop cleaning, sorting, splitting and bagging equipment
- Evergood Commodities Ltd in Inverness is receiving $450,000 for the installation of peal and lentil splitting plant
- IND HEMP, LLC in Fort Benton is receiving $450,000 for expansion of their hemp grain and hemp fiber processing line
- Montana Milling of Great Falls and Conrad is receiving $450,000 for expansion, dehulling, decortication and protein isolate extraction
- The Redwood Group in Shelby is receiving $450,000 for a new import/export facility at The Port of Northern Montana
