WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) have introduced the New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act. This bipartisan legislation would allow meat and poultry products that pass state inspections to be sold across state lines. Currently, meat products must be processed at one of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) certified facilities. If that same product is processed at a state-inspected facility, which already meet federal guidelines, it is prohibited from interstate sale—creating unnecessary barriers for businesses and increasing costs for consumers.

“Currently, you could have delicious Maine-certified beef that’s butchered in Fryeburg but it can’t be sold ten miles down the road in Conway, New Hampshire. That makes no sense. If Maine farmers have proven the quality of their meat and poultry products under federally-approved state programs, they shouldn’t have to jump through extra hoops to expand into new markets,” said Senator King. “This legislation will reduce unnecessary barriers to support small businesses and increase the availability of high-quality products available to consumers. This is commonsense legislation that will support the Maine agriculture industry, open additional markets for Maine-based products, and provide more options at the grocery store —now that’s a win, win, win.”

“South Dakota producers raise some of the highest-quality meat and poultry in the world,” said Rounds. “However, meat and poultry products are limited to markets within the state even though they are required to go through inspection at a state facility that meets or exceeds federal inspection standards. This is a disadvantage to producers and consumers alike. Our bipartisan bill would allow these high-quality products that pass federally-equivalent state inspection standards to be sold across state lines, which would open up new markets for our producers and give consumers more choices at the grocery store.”

Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.).

“I am proud to support the New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act,” said Mooney. “High-quality products that pass rigorous inspection standards in states like West Virginia should be able to be sold across state lines without further inspection. This bill ensures safe, inspected, and high-quality meat can be provided to American consumers while opening new markets and providing more choices at the grocery store.”

Currently, there are 29 states with inspection programs, certified by the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), which meet or exceed federal inspection standards. However, products processed at these FSIS-approved state MPI inspected facilities are not currently allowed to be sold across state lines.

Senator King has been a strong advocate for Maine farmers by helping to assist them to widen their markets. In addition to today’s legislation, he has also introduced the Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption (PRIME) Act. The Prime Act would give individual states the option to permit intrastate distribution of custom-slaughtered meat such as beef, pork, goat or lamb to consumers, restaurants, hotels, boarding houses, and grocery stores. He has also introduced the Expanding Agricultural Exports Act to increase agricultural exports by $7.4 billion by doubling funding for the advertising programs of agricultural goods in foreign countries.

King and Rounds were joined by Senators Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), John Thune (R-S.D.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) in introducing this legislation.

Click HERE for a one pager.

Click HERE for full bill text. 

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