The Missouri Department of Agriculture has awarded more than $16 Million dollars to bolster 150 small meat and poultry processors.

Ag Director Chris Chinn tells Brownfield the grants have gone to 56 state inspected facilities, 17 brand new custom-exempt processors and for improvements at 62 existing USDA and state inspected operations.

“Those men and women were the true heroes of the pandemic. They took on extra work. They worked seven days a week, very long hours, to try and help the farmers and ranchers in their rule communities and the challenges they were met with were big.”

She says the pandemic opened consumers eyes, who, for the first time saw empty grocery store shelves.

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