U.S. Senator Jerry Moran has announced a $1,594,970 U.S. Department of Agriculture investment in eight Kansas small and midsized meatpackers through the Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant program. The program was created by Sen. Moran's legislation for the plants to make the necessary investments to become federally inspected. Currently, meatpacking facilities can only make sales across state lines if they are federally inspected.
Two facilities in east central Kansas are on the list to receive funds including Alta Vista Locker in Alta Vista to support modernization of facilities to improve the safety and speed of the slaughter process, and Dieck's Inc. in Clay Center to increase production of raw and further processed meats, and help to obtain federal grant of inspection, allowing local producers to broaden markets.