The federal Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAAF) program currently has funding available for a limited number of Wyoming manufacturers, with grant applications currently being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Overseen by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the TAAF program assists manufacturing companies impacted by foreign competition. Companies that qualify receive a grant of up to $75,000 to help improve their competitiveness.

Serving Wyoming’s manufacturing community for more than 30 years, The Rocky Mountain TAA Center (RMTAAC) is managed by the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business. Over the years, RMTAAC leaders say they’ve helped many of the leading manufacturers in the state, including companies in the mining equipment, aviation, energy production, electronics, food processing, and home security industries.

Wyoming Authentic Products of Cody, a current TAAF client, has become “the leading producer and seller of Wyoming raised all natural grass-fed beef sticks and jerky.” Founded in 2011 by David Fales, whose family established a Wyoming homestead in 1918, Wyoming Authentic says it’s built the business on the heritage of Wyoming, honesty and integrity to deliver great tasting beef snacks. The company’s products are available at 7-11s, Natural Grocers and Wyoming Walmart stores.

TAAF has helped Wyoming Authentic fine tune its marketing strategy, increasing its emphasis on direct sales, while also increasing its production of “co-packed” and “private label” beef snacks for other companies. With its USDA Plant in Cody nearing capacity, the company is currently exploring an expansion for growing its production to satisfy the fast-growing demand for its products and capabilities, according to a TAAF release.

“The TAAF program has been a great benefit to Wyoming Authentic, helping put us on a trajectory for record beef snack sales each of the past two years,” Fales said. “With all our growth, we certainly need more plant capacity!”

For more about the TAAF program, contact Christopher Stone at RMTAAC, stone@rmtaac.org or 303-506-8961.