# USDA Funds South Dakota Meat Processors

On November 5, 2026, USDA Rural Development announced $408,410 through the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program for two South Dakota processors: $224,292 for Very Good Meat Company LLC and $184,118 for Bluebird Locker, Inc. The assistance supports processing and packaging equipment purchases intended to expand beef processing, improve packaging efficiency, and increase capacity in Huron and Sioux Falls. For suppliers and contractors, the awards signal near-term demand for meat-processing and packaging equipment as rural processors expand regional production capacity.

- Very Good Meat Company’s assistance covers a patty machine, beef stick stuffer, and rollstock packaging machine; Bluebird Locker’s award supports a rollstock packaging machine.
- Equipment manufacturers, distributors, and service providers may find relevant business opportunities in processing, packaging automation, and related installation or support needs.
- The program’s awards support small and regional processors, indicating that suppliers serving rural food-processing businesses may benefit from targeting similar capacity-expansion needs.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Topics:** Grants & Funding
**Published:** November 05, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA Rural Development)

### Vendors
- Very Good Meat Company LLC (awardee)
- Bluebird Locker, Inc. (awardee)

### Key Quotes
> This funding will help our small and regional processors expand and become more efficient in their operations, and this ultimately provides our producers more opportunity and more choices of where they take their beef. But also then to provide a good quality product in our communities
> — Lorraine Polak, South Dakota State Director, USDA Rural Development

### Sources
- [USDA Rural Development Invests More Than $408,000 to Assist South Dakota Rural Meat Processors | Rural Development](https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/news-release/usda-rural-development-invests-more-408000-assist-south-dakota-rural-meat-processors) - USDA