Bear Paw Development Awarded $9.7 Million Grant from USDA

Through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Bear Paw Development Corporation was recently awarded a grant for $9,752,250 through USDA’s Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program (MPILP) to establish a loan fund to help start-up or expand meat and poultry processing in a large portion of Montana. The program is designed to strengthen the food supply chain in the United States and assist in financing local and regional processors with their capital and operational needs.

“This announcement by the federal Department of Agriculture is very likely the largest single investment Bear Paw Development has received in the 50-plus year history of our organization and we couldn’t be more pleased, especially given the importance of these funds in building the agricultural economy of Montana,” said Paul Tuss, Executive Director. “These funds will have a transformational impact in growing our state’s value-added agricultural economy and given that they are revolving loan funds, will continue to have an impact for decades to come.”

Bear Paw Development was the lead applicant for this grant award, but other regional economic development organizations were partners in the grant, allowing the impact of these funds to flow to areas throughout Montana. The partner organizations include Montana Business Assistance Connection of Helena, Snowy Mountain Development Corporation of Lewistown, Sweetgrass Development Corporation of Great Falls and Headwaters Resource Conservation and Development Area of Butte. The grant funds will be able to be utilized in the following twenty-six counties: Liberty, Hill, Blaine, Phillips, Chouteau, Beaverhead, Silver Bow, Deer Lodge, Granite, Jefferson, Madison, Powell, Fergus, Judith Basin, Wheatland, Petroleum, Musselshell, Golden Valley, Glacier, Toole, Pondera, Cascade, Teton, Lewis and Clark, Broadwater and Meagher.

“When it comes to economic development in rural areas, we know that partnerships are essential, and so we simply couldn’t be more pleased that we have developed this very significant partnership with other entities that also serve rural Montana,” Tuss said. “By working together, we are creating something with this investment that we could not have done on our own, and we are also covering a wide swath of our state that is heavily dependent upon a robust agricultural economy.”

The MPILP Program is available to any business engaged, or hoping to be engaged, in the processing of meat and poultry. This can be directly or through agreements with other entities. The use of these funds can be for such activities as constructing new facilities, purchasing equipment and technology, ensuring regulatory compliance, and offsetting start-up costs, among others.

Those interested in utilizing these loan funds are encouraged to reach out to Bear Paw Development’s Loan Department through Trish Cichosz, Director of Loan Services, at 406-265-9226 or at [email protected].