Establishing a butchery innovation and revitalization fund and program to be administered by the economic development authority and creating a task force to explore the feasibility of establishing a community college artisanal butchery program

This bill establishes a butchery innovation and revitalization fund (fund) and a butchery innovation and revitalization program (program) to be administered by the economic development authority (authority), and creates a task force to explore the feasibility of establishing a community college artisanal butchery program. The bill creates the fund in the state treasury under the control of the authority, which consists of any moneys appropriated to the fund by the general assembly and any other moneys available to the authority for placement in the fund. The fund must be used to provide financial assistance (assistance) as provided under the program. “Assistance” is defined to include assistance in the form of grants, low-interest loans, and forgivable loans. The authority must use any moneys specifically appropriated for purposes of the program only for the purposes of the program. The appropriated moneys that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year do not revert but remain available for expenditure for the program until the close of the succeeding fiscal year. The authority must establish and administer the program for the purpose of awarding assistance to eligible businesses for projects that expand or refurbish, or that establish a new, state or federally inspected small-scale meat processing business, licensed custom locker, or mobile slaughter unit. A mobile slaughter unit must operate in compliance with the most current mobile slaughter unit compliance guide issued by the United States department of agriculture food safety and inspection service. The authority must establish eligibility criteria for the program by rule, and the criteria must include the requirements detailed in the bill. A business seeking assistance under the program must make application to the authority in the manner prescribed by the authority by rule. Applications must be accepted during an annual application period established by the authority. After reviewing and scoring all applications received during the application period, and subject to funding, the authority must award assistance to the selected eligible businesses. The bill requires the authority to give priority to eligible businesses whose proposed project will create new jobs; create or expand opportunities for local small-scale farmers to market processed meat under private labels; or provide greater flexibility or convenience for local small-scale farmers to have animals processed. A business that is awarded assistance under the program may apply for assistance under other programs administered by the authority. The authority is required to adopt rules to administer the fund and program. The artisanal butchery program task force is created within the authority for the purpose of exploring the feasibility of establishing a community college artisanal butchery program. Members of the task force are appointed by the director of the authority and must include representatives of various groups and organizations as detailed in the bill. The authority must provide the task force with staff and administrative support. The task force must consider staffing and equipment requirements, potential enrollment numbers, overall employment outlook for graduates, apprenticeship and internship opportunities, program costs, curriculum, and regulatory and legal requirements. The bill requires the task force to submit an interim report by December 31, 2021, and a final report by December 31, 2022, to the general assembly and to the chairpersons and the vice-chairpersons of the committees on economic growth and education, that includes the task force’s findings and recommendations.