MADISON – A nearby Fond du Lac County meat processor is among 18 Wisconsin businesses receiving grants through the 2026 Meat Processor Infrastructure Grant Program.
Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection announced the grant recipients during June Dairy Month. According to the governor’s office, the grants are meant to help meat processors modernize and grow their businesses, expand markets, improve profitability and support the long-term viability of Wisconsin meat processing facilities.
Salchert’s Market Inc. in Saint Cloud is the closest listed recipient to the Beaver Dam-area. State officials say the business plans to use its grant to modernize its existing freezer and install bone-processing equipment.
DATCP says $700,000 is available for this year’s meat processor grants, with a maximum of $50,000 allowed for each project. Recipients were selected through a competitive review process and must provide a 100-percent match of the grant amount. DATCP received 47 applications totaling $1.77 million in requests.
The 2026 Request for Proposals says the program is open to Wisconsin meat processing facilities licensed by DATCP or the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and projects must increase harvest capacity or product throughput. Eligible expenses can include facility expansion, construction, engineering, food safety advisory services, equipment and equipment installation.
Evers says the grants are part of the state’s effort to support farmers, producers and processors.
DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski says the program continues to support meat processing businesses as they grow and innovate.
Other recipients include meat processors in Almena, Hartland, Withee, Blair, Bloomington, Durand, Sheboygan, Scandinavia, New Glarus, Sturgeon Bay, Greenville, Cameron, Waukesha and Kaukauna.
More information about the Meat Processor Infrastructure Grant Program is available through DATCP. The agency’s grant page says the program is designed to grow Wisconsin’s meat industry and improve the long-term viability of the state’s livestock industry.
