cation process for eligible entities applying for a 
grant under this section of not more than $100,000. 
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall en-
sure that any application for a grant under this sec-
tion is— 
‘‘(A) simple and practicable; 
‘‘(B) accessible online; and 
‘‘(C) available through local staff of the 
Department of Agriculture. 
‘‘(4) NOTICE.—Not later than 14 days before 
the date on which the Secretary begins to accept ap-
plications under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
publish a notice of funding opportunity with respect 
to the grants available under this section. 
‘‘(5) REAPPLICATION.—If an application of an 
eligible entity under this subsection is denied by the 
Secretary, the eligible entity may submit a revised 
application. 
‘‘(6) PRIORITY.—In reviewing applications sub-
mitted under this subsection, the Secretary shall 
give priority to proposals that will— 
‘‘(A) increase farmer and rancher access to 
animal slaughter options within a 200-mile ra-
dius of the location of the farmer or rancher; or 
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‘‘(B) support an eligible entity described in 
subsection (a)(1)(A). 
‘‘(d) USE OF GRANT.—An eligible entity that receives 
a grant under this section shall use the grant funds to 
carry out activities in support of the purposes described 
in subsection (b)(1), including through— 
‘‘(1) the development and issuance of a Hazard 
Analysis and Critical Control Points plan for the eli-
gible entity, which may be developed by a consultant; 
‘‘(2) the purchase or establishment, as applica-
ble, of facilities, equipment, processes, and oper-
ations necessary for the eligible entity to comply 
with applicable requirements under the Federal 
Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) or the 
Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 451 et 
seq.); 
‘‘(3) the purchase of cold storage, equipment, or 
transportation services; 
‘‘(4) the purchase of temperature screening 
supplies, testing for communicable diseases, dis-
infectant, sanitation systems, hand washing stations, 
and other sanitizing supplies; 
‘‘(5) the purchase and decontamination of per-
sonal protective equipment; 
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‘‘(6) the construction or purchase of humane 
handling infrastructure, including holding space for 
livestock prior to slaughter, shade structures, and 
knock box structures; 
‘‘(7) the provision of staff time and training for 
implementing and monitoring health and safety pro-
cedures; 
‘‘(8) the development of a feasibility study or 
business plan for, or the carrying out of any other 
activity associated with, establishing or expanding a 
small meat or poultry processing facility; 
‘‘(9) the purchase of equipment that enables the 
further use or value-added sale of coproducts or by-
products, such as organs, hides, and other relevant 
products; and 
‘‘(10) other activities associated with expanding 
or establishing an eligible entity described in sub-
section (a)(1)(A), as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(e) OUTREACH.—During the period beginning on 
the date on which the Secretary publishes the notice under 
subsection (c)(4) and ending on the date on which the Sec-
retary begins to accept applications under subsection 
(c)(1), the Secretary shall perform outreach to States and 
eligible entities relating to grants under this section. 
‘‘(f) FEDERAL SHARE.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
the Federal share of the activities carried out using 
a grant awarded under this section shall not ex-
ceed— 
‘‘(A) 90 percent in the case of a grant in 
the amount of $100,000 or less; or 
‘‘(B) 75 percent in the case of a grant in 
an amount greater than $100,000. 
‘‘(2) FISCAL YEARS 2025 AND 2026.—An eligible 
entity awarded a grant under this section during fis-
cal year 2025 or 2026 shall not be required to pro-
vide non-Federal matching funds with respect to the 
grant. 
‘‘(g) ADMINISTRATION.—The promulgation of regula-
tions under, and administration of, this section shall be 
made without regard to— 
‘‘(1) the notice and comment provisions of sec-
tion 553 of title 5, United States Code; and 
‘‘(2) chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code 
(commonly known as the ‘Paperwork Reduction 
Act’). 
‘‘(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Agri-
culture to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2026 through 2031.’’. 
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SEC. 6. LOCAL MEAT AND POULTRY PROCESSING TRAINING 
PROGRAMS. 
Title IV of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Education Reform Act of 1998 is amended by inserting 
before section 404 (7 U.S.C. 7624) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 403. LOCAL MEAT AND POULTRY PROCESSING TRAIN-
ING PROGRAMS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) LAND-GRANT
COLLEGES
AND
UNIVER-
SITIES.—The term ‘land-grant colleges and univer-
sities’ has the meaning given the term in section 
1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Exten-
sion, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
3103). 
‘‘(2) COVERED
ESTABLISHMENT.—The term 
‘covered establishment’ has the meaning given such 
term in section 26 of the Federal Meat Inspection 
Act. 
‘‘(3) 
STRUCTURED
APPRENTICESHIP.—The 
term ‘structured apprenticeship’ means an appren-
ticeship program that— 
‘‘(A) provides most of the training on the 
job in a meat or poultry processing facility; 
‘‘(B) describes in detail— 
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‘‘(i) all of the competencies necessary 
to work in a meat or poultry processing fa-
cility; and 
‘‘(ii) the competencies that are nec-
essary to own and operate a meat or poul-
try processing facility that is a covered es-
tablishment; 
‘‘(C) describes the level of knowledge, skill, 
and ability the apprentice ought to attain in 
each competency; 
‘‘(D) includes a component for someone 
other than the trainer— 
‘‘(i) to assess competency attainment; 
and 
‘‘(ii) to assure that all competencies 
are being addressed during the apprentice-
ship; 
‘‘(E) includes an individualized plan for 
each apprentice that— 
‘‘(i) considers prior knowledge, skill, 
and ability; and 
‘‘(ii) allows for apprentices to opt out 
of competencies irrelevant to their career 
goals; and 
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‘‘(F) focuses on individuals who will work 
in or operate meat or poultry processing facili-
ties that are covered establishments. 
‘‘(b) 
INSTITUTIONAL
CAREER
TRAINING
PRO-
GRAMS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 
competitive grants to junior or community colleges, 
technical or vocational schools, nonprofit organiza-
tions, worker training centers, and land-grant col-
leges and universities to establish or expand career 
training programs relating to meat and poultry proc-
essing. 
‘‘(2) APPLICATIONS FOR SMALL GRANTS.—The 
Secretary shall establish a separate, simplified appli-
cation and reporting process for entities described in 
paragraph (1) applying for a grant under this sub-
section of not more than $100,000. 
‘‘(3) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary to carry out this subsection $10,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2025 through 2030. 
‘‘(c) PROCESSOR CAREER TRAINING PROGRAMS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 
competitive grants to covered establishments to es-
tablish or expand career training programs, includ-
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ing for structured apprenticeships, relating to meat 
and poultry processing. 
‘‘(2) APPLICATIONS FOR SMALL GRANTS.—The 
Secretary shall establish a separate, simplified appli-
cation and reporting process for entities described in 
paragraph (1) applying for a grant under this sub-
section of not more than $100,000. 
‘‘(3) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary to carry out this subsection $10,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.’’. 
Æ 
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