USDA opens SPUR guaranteed loan applications for meat and poultry processing capacity

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) began accepting applications on October 27, 2026 for guaranteed loans under the Strengthening Processing for US Ranchers (SPUR) program, aimed at expanding and diversifying American meat, poultry and seafood processing capacity. The agency fixed the guarantee fee rates, the loan guarantee percentage and related charges for fiscal year 2027 in a notice published in the Federal Register of October 27, 2026, under Docket No. RBS–26–NONE–0562 and FR Doc. 2026-21858.

The program rests on Section 1001(b)(4) of the American Rescue Plan Act (Pub. L. 117–2), which authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to make loans and grants and provide other assistance to maintain and improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency. Under that authority and the appropriation provided, at least $5 billion in loan level is being made available for SPUR beginning in fiscal year 2027. SPUR is designed in a manner similar to the Business and Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loan Program, with minor changes to meet the needs of the American beef industry and ranchers, and its loans are administered under 7 CFR part 5001 (OneRD Guaranteed Loan Program), as amended or supplemented by the notice of funding opportunity.

The agency describes the program’s purpose as supporting the American meat, poultry and seafood processing industries by increasing processing capacity and promoting more competition in a sector it characterizes as particularly vulnerable to disruption, consolidation and concentration. Guaranteed funds are channelled through eligible lenders to eligible borrowers, and USDA is also making funding available for technical assistance through providers expert in meat, poultry and seafood processing and in business planning.

Fee schedule for fiscal year 2027

The notice establishes the following terms for SPUR loans:

• Guarantee fee: 3 percent.
• Periodic guarantee retention fee: 0.55 percent.
• Loan guarantee percentage: 90 percent.
• Fee for issuance of the loan note guarantee prior to construction completion: 0.5 percent.

The lender must hold a minimum of 10 percent of the total loan amount. The guarantee fee, the annual guarantee service fee and the pre-construction issuance fee correspond to the fees in effect for the B&I Guaranteed Loan Program under OneRD. The rates in the notice take effect October 1, 2027; should the fees need adjustment, the agency said it will publish a subsequent notice in the Federal Register.

Eligible projects and how to apply

Loan guarantees are intended to facilitate access to affordable capital for entities seeking to establish, reopen, retrofit, expand or improve a meat, poultry or seafood processing facility. The program carries no geographic restrictions, applying to facilities in both rural and urban areas of the United States.

Applications will only be accepted electronically. Program guidance and forms are available at www.rd.usda.gov, and application documents may be downloaded from rd.usda.gov/onerdguarantee; applicants are encouraged to contact their respective Rural Development State Office for an email contact to file, with the list of offices at rd.usda.gov/about-rd/state-offices. The full text of the notice of funding opportunity is posted on the agency website.

Deadlines and points of contact

Completed applications may be submitted from October 27, 2026, and will be accepted until funds are exhausted — there is no fixed closing date. For information specific to the notice, the agency directs inquiries to Brian Wiles, Director of the Program Processing Division, Rural Business Cooperative Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Stop 3201, Washington, DC 20250, by email at brian.wiles@usda.gov or by telephone at 202-720-4053. The notice was signed by Gimmie Jansonius, Administrator of the Rural Business-Cooperative Service.

The opening matters beyond the loan volume: a 90 percent guarantee and a 3 percent fee let smaller lenders underwrite slaughter and processing projects that would otherwise struggle to find affordable capital, and the absence of rural-urban limits widens the pool of eligible facilities. With applications open until the money runs out, the practical constraint for processors and lenders is speed of preparation rather than a calendar deadline.

Source: Federal Register, Vol. 91, No. 206, October 27, 2026, Notices, p. 67540 (official reference: 2026-21858).