Iowa Admin. Code r. 261-51.3

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 6, September 18, 2024

Rule 261-51.3 - Eligibility

(1)Eligible businesses. To be eligible for a grant under the program, an applicant shall meet all of the eligibility requirements in Iowa Code section 15E.370(4) as amended by 2023 Iowa Acts, House File 185, in addition to all of the following requirements:

a. The business must be incorporated or organized in Iowa or authorized to do business in Iowa.

b. The business must be an establishment that holds a current license from the department in accordance with the requirements of Iowa Code chapter 189A or is actively working with the department to obtain a license. Factors the authority may consider in determining whether a business is actively working with the department to obtain a license include, but are not limited to, the number and frequency of contacts the business has had with the department, whether the business has submitted an application for inspection to the department or FSIS, and whether the department or FSIS has conducted a site visit at the business.

c. The applicant must have an assessment of the applicant's proposed investment completed by CIRAS prior to submission of an application.

(2)Regulatory enforcement actions. For the purposes of determining whether a business is ineligible for the program because the business has been subject to any regulatory enforcement action in the last five years pursuant to Iowa Code section 15E.370(4)"b," regulatory enforcement actions include, but are not limited to, an administrative order, consent order or similar formal order issued by an applicable enforcement agency or an involuntary withdrawal of a state grant of inspection or federal grant of inspection.

(3)Eligible projects. The applicant must propose an eligible project as described in Iowa Code section 15E.370(3).

a. For purposes of this subrule, a state-inspected small-scale meat processing business is an establishment that has been issued a state grant of inspection and meets the eligible business criteria in subrule 51.3(1).

b. For purposes of this subrule, a federally inspected small-scale meat processing business is an establishment that has been issued a federal grant of inspection and meets eligible business criteria in subrule 51.3(1).

c. For purposes of this subrule, a licensed custom locker is an establishment that slaughters or prepares livestock exclusively for use by the owners of the livestock, members of their household, and their nonpaying guests and employees, that is periodically inspected by the department, and that meets the eligible business criteria in subrule 51.3(1).

d. For purposes of this subrule, a mobile slaughter unit is a self-contained slaughter establishment that can travel from site to site; that operates in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and the most current mobile slaughter unit compliance guide issued by FSIS; and that meets the eligible business criteria in subrule 51.3(1).

(4)Eligible and ineligible project costs.

a. Eligible costs include, but are not limited to, land acquisition, site preparation, building acquisition, building construction, building remodeling, lease payments, machinery and equipment, and computer hardware or software associated with new machinery and equipment.

b. Ineligible costs include, but are not limited to, ongoing training costs, operational costs, and costs incurred for facilities located outside the state of Iowa. Training costs specific to new investment in machinery and equipment may be considered eligible in the discretion of the authority.

(5)Matching support required. The applicant shall demonstrate the ability to provide matching financial support for the project on a one-to-one basis in the form of cash. The matching financial support must be obtained from private sources.

(6)Receipt of multiple grants. An applicant that has previously received a grant from the program shall not be eligible to apply for additional grants from the program during the three state fiscal years following approval of the previous grant. For example, an applicant that was approved for a grant on February 16, 2023 (fiscal year 2023), would be eligible to apply for an additional grant on or after July 1, 2026 (fiscal year 2027). An applicant that has previously received a grant from the program shall not be eligible to apply for additional grants from the program until any prior program agreements have been satisfied.

Iowa Admin. Code r. 261-51.3

Adopted by IAB October 6, 2021/Volume XLIV, Number 7, effective 9/17/2021

Amended by IAB November 16, 2022/Volume XLV, Number 10, effective 10/21/2022

Amended by IAB November 15, 2023/Volume XLVI, Number 10, effective 12/20/2023