Jason esler, OBA jason's butcher shop is requesting assistance through the mpirg for the purpose of improving facilities and purchasing equipment with intent to become a maine state inspected facility…

The Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service awarded a $200,000 Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grants – Supplemental Funding project grant to Jason's Butcher Shop in Albion, Maine. The grant will support facility improvements and equipment upgrades to help the butcher shop gain state inspection compliance and participate in the Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program. Key planned activities include repairs to ceilings, walls, floors, plumbing and cattle handling areas to address deficiencies noted by the Maine Department of Agriculture. Upon completion in September 2024, the grant-funded upgrades aim to help Jason's Butcher Shop meet regulatory standards to obtain a federal "Grant of Inspection" and expand its meat processing operations under the USDA's Meat Inspection Act. The funding will assist the small business in improving its facilities and positioning itself to better address increased market demands during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Jason esler, OBA jason's butcher shop is requesting assistance through the mpirg for the purpose of improving facilities and purchasing equipment with intent to become a maine state inspected facility participating in the cooperative interstate shipment program. While jason's butcher shop focuses primarily on custom slaughtering and meat processing, covid-19 has placed an unprecedented need for inspected meat processing facilities given current market demands. We are unable to move forward with an inspection program due to lack of available funds to adequately maintain old facilities and upgrade equipment that fails to meet the regulatory requirements outlined in the federal meat inspection act. Our primary focus IT to first address facility deficiencies noted by the maine department of agriculture division of quality, assurance, and regulation and gain state compliance. Two areas identified as needing improvement include sanitation operations and inedible product storage. Facility needs include: ceiling and wall repair in meat processing room, ceiling and wall repair in smoker room, ceiling and wall repair on kill floor, concrete floor repair in smoker room, plumbing repair, and repair of the cattle handling/intake area.