Program Overview
The Minnesota Legislature appropriated $500,000 for matching-fund grants to organizations to acquire, host, and operate a mobile slaughter unit. The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Inc. (AURI) was designated to create and administer a grant program to enable interested Minnesota entities to access these grant dollars. This program aims to benefit the Minnesota livestock industry by supporting education, research, training, and value-added product development (to download the complete RFP, click here).
- The mobile slaughter unit shall coordinate with Minnesota state two-year colleges that have meat cutting programs to accommodate education and training as it relates to animal slaughter and processing.
- The mobile unit may coordinate with livestock producers who desire to provide value-added meat products by utilizing the mobile slaughter unit.
- The mobile unit may be used for:
- Research.
- Training outside of the two-year college system; and
- Other activities that align with industry needs.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants for this program include any Minnesota business entity that can demonstrate intent to benefit Minnesota livestock and commit to collaborating with institutions of higher learning for training purposes. Ideal candidates will have existing relationships and/or show a mutual commitment to work with two-year colleges that have or are developing meat cutting programs and expressed intent to work collaboratively with them.
Eligible Uses of Funds
Grant dollars may be used for:
- Planning, design, building and/or acquisition of a mobile meat slaughter unit.
- Costs associated with hosting and operating the unit, including program design costs, costs to engage staff or acquire expertise sufficient to deliver required programming, coordinating with 2-year colleges, and project management.
Maximum Award
$500,000
Minimum Matching Dollars Required
Applicants must provide a minimum of a 1:1 cash match for every grant dollar requested through this program. Acceptable matching fund sources include private, federal or Minnesota State Colleges and Universities funds.
- Proposals Due: 4:30 p.m. Central Time on October 22, 2021
- Grant Decision Communicated: No later than November 12, 2021
- Contract Start Date: Negotiated (before June 30, 2022)
- Contract End Date: June 30, 2024
To download a full copy of the RFP, which includes additional information on proposal submissions, format and necessary documentation, click here. All questions about the RFP should be directed to Dan Skogen at dskogen@auri.org.
