1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Butcher Block Act of 2023 . 2. Assistance for new and expanded meat processors and renderers (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Covered facility The term covered facility means a facility— (A) for which a loan or loan guarantee is provided to an eligible entity under the program; and (B) that is— (i) a meat processing establishment that employs fewer than 500 employees; or (ii) a rendering facility establishment that employs fewer than 200 employees. (2) Eligible entity (A) In general The term eligible entity means— (i) a public, private, or cooperative organization organized on a for-profit or nonprofit basis; (ii) an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act ( 25 U.S.C. 5304 )); and (iii) an individual farmer, rancher, or business owner. (B) Exclusions The term eligible entity does not include— (i) an entity described in subparagraph (A)(i) that is partly or wholly owned by a foreign entity; or (ii) an entity that has processed an average of not less than 5 percent of the beef, pork, chicken, or turkey processed nationally during the immediately preceding 5 calendar years. (3) Meat The term meat includes poultry. (4) Program The term program means the program established under subsection (b). (5) Rural area The term rural area has the meaning given the term in section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1991(a) ). (6) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture. (b) Establishment The Secretary shall establish a program under which the Secretary shall provide loans and loan guarantees to eligible entities to use in accordance with subsection (f). (c) Program purposes The purposes of the program are— (1) to increase capacity of meat processing and rendering; (2) to diversify meat processing and rendering ownership; (3) to bolster local and regional food security through increased meat processing and rendering capacity