Local businesses receive grants from Utah Dept of Agriculture

Best Dough Bread in Blanding is a recipient of the 2024 Utah Food Security Processing Grant through the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food.
Prior recipients of the grant include Four Point Meat Processing in Monticello and Monson’s Quality Mat Processing in Blanding.
Created in 2022, this grant program is designed to address critical deficiencies in Utah’s food supply chain by increasing processing capacity of locally grown and raised foods, thereby enhancing food security for residents across the state. 
In response to the pressing need for stronger local food systems, the Utah State Legislature initially appropriated $1,000,000 to UDAF for this program in the 2022 legislative session.
The success of this program was continued with additional $1,000,000 appropriations in the 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions, totaling $3,000,000 to support the expansion of small meat, poultry, fruit, and vegetable processors.  
Officials state that the program has been highly successful, benefiting local farms and ranches, processing businesses, and has increased the availability of locally produced foods for consumers. 
During the 2024 application cycle, they received 113 applications totaling over $10 million in requests. To date, they have received over $34 million in requests and has awarded $3 million in funding through 60 grants to businesses located throughout the state.