WASHINGTON, DC - A $50,000 federal grant for the Sullivan County Ag Local Development Corporation (Ag LDC) will assist with the development of a red meat processing facility in Liberty, New York.  Earlier this year, Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development in support of Ag LDC's grant request.  The project also received preferential consideration for its application because of its location in the Sullivan-Wawarsing Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) Zone, a special USDA designation for the area that Hinchey established in 1999. 

"Developing a red meat processing facility in Sullivan County will help create jobs and provide area farmers with a convenient and reliable way to process their meat," Hinchey said.  "The federal grant will help get this initiative off the ground and support the efforts of family farms to serve the growing local and metropolitan markets for locally-raised meat.  As we continue to work to strengthen our economy, it's vital that we continue to invest in efforts like these that promote small businesses and economic growth."

The funding will help pay for technical assistance for the development of the facility as well as business and operational plans.  The grant will also be used to identify a processing facility operator.