The Minnesota Senate today adopted an amendment from Senator Andrew Lang (R-Olivia) to increase funding for rural meat, poultry, egg, and milk processing facilities as part of the Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development omnibus bill.

The amendment provides an additional $100,000 per year for grants to support the startup, modernization, or expansion of these facilities, restoring critical funding to a program that had seen a significant reduction in this year’s budget proposal.

“This is a smart investment in rural Minnesota,” said Sen. Lang. “Expanding processing capacity strengthens local economies, supports family farms, and increases access to Minnesota-grown products. These grants help small processors grow, create jobs, and offer more choices for consumers across the state.”

The increase is offset by a reduction in the urban agriculture allocation within Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation Program.