PRIME Act: Meat Inspection Exemption

Summary#

This bill would change the Federal Meat Inspection Act to allow an exemption from federal inspection for animals slaughtered and carcasses prepared at a "custom slaughter facility" when two conditions are met: the facility follows the law of the State where it is located, and the animals are slaughtered and the meat prepared only for distribution within that same State to household consumers or to restaurants, hotels, boarding houses, grocery stores, or other establishments that prepare meals for consumers or sell meat directly to consumers. The bill also covers transportation in commerce of those carcasses and meat when these conditions are met. The bill defines "State" to include the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories and possessions. A separate section says these changes do not preempt any State law on these matters.

What it means for you#

• If you run or use a custom slaughter facility, the facility could be exempt from federal inspection for slaughter and preparation when it follows state law and the meat is sold only within that State to the listed buyers.
• If you are a consumer, restaurant, or grocery store in the same State, you could receive meat from such exempted custom slaughter facilities.
• The facility must follow the State's law where it is located; the federal inspection rules in the Federal Meat Inspection Act would not apply in the described circumstances.
• The bill does not override or replace any State laws about slaughter or sale of meat.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information in the bill text or metadata stating proponents' arguments or claimed benefits.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information in the bill text or metadata stating opponents' arguments or concerns.