CLARK, S.D. (NAFB) – Nearly 100 small South Dakota meat processors are getting a share of $5 million from the state’s Coronavirus Relief Meat Processing Grant program.

The program provides eligible processors with funds to make an immediate impact on the state’s ability to process or store South Dakota-raised protein.

One of the grant recipients is Randy Gruenwald, owner of Dakota Butcher, based in Clark. Randy says they also have three locations in Watertown, a store in Madison, and are now expanding to Rapid City.

South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association president Eric Jennings says animal processing capacity has been the weak link in the beef supply system and that weakness was magnified during the COVID-19 pandemic.

South Dakota Stockgrowers Association executive director James Halverson says expanding animal processing capacity is long overdue.

The South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources received more than 100 applications for the Meat Processing Grant program– 99 of which were approved. The grant recipients include 16 new facilities and 83 existing facilities with funding awards ranging from $9,000 to over $108,000.