Strengthening Processing for US Ranchers Guaranteed Loan Program

The primary purpose of SPUR is to support the American Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Processing Industries by increasing processing capacity and promoting more competition in the sector, which is particularly vulnerable to disruption, consolidation, and concentration. Based on public input, USDA identified an urgent need to expand and diversify Meat, Poultry, and Seafood processing capacity; increase producer income; finance infrastructure for Meat, Poultry, and Seafood processors, with the exception of the Nationally Dominant producers; assist with equipment purchases to enable access to new market or sales channels or to support process improvement; support employee training of equipment operations, butchery and fishmongery skills, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) compliance, and achieving product specifications and consistency; and improve waste management. SPUR funds will help the American protein processing industries diversify the Meat, Poultry, and Seafood supply chains and open local market opportunities. Additionally, entities that form a partnership with cattle and other processing establishments are also eligible (feedlots, further processors, pet food, rendering, other proteins). These facilities are eligible when in partnership (cooperatives or other legal partners) with a Meat, Poultry, or Seafood processing facility. The intent is to diversify processing with value-added streams of business to increase resiliency and sustainability.