This week, government officials announced that Charles City Iowa-based premium chicken integrator, Pure Prairie Farms Inc., is set to receive a $6.9 million dollar grant as part United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP). The program was launched in 2021 in response to supply chain disruptions in recent years for meat and poultry products during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to USDA, the program is "to encourage competition and sustainable growth in the U.S. meat processing sector, and to help improve supply chain resiliency."
Earmarked as part of a $51.7 million dollar improvement project, the MPPEP grant will specifically help fund an 18,000-square-foot addition to include a warehouse and distribution center, dramatically improve the plant’s existing employee wellness area, and redesign its second-processing area. All of this to maintain a beneficial and safe work environment for its team members and provide a premium choice for a growing interest in locally and responsibly sourced chicken products.