Small Farmers Could Sell Home-Processed Beef Under New Bipartisan Bill
On CHD-TV, Dr. Meryl Nass discusses newly introduced legislation from Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) aimed at loosening federal meat-processing rules for small farmers.
The bipartisan Red Meat Inspection Exemption Act would create an exemption from federal inspection for farmers processing livestock raised on their own farms and selling the meat directly to consumers.
The exemption would be limited to producers processing no more than 25 cattle, 60 hogs, 250 sheep or 250 goats annually. Meat would still be subject to federal adulteration and misbranding laws, would carry an exemption label identifying the producer, and would have to comply with USDA food-safety and handling requirements. The bill also preserves state laws offering broader exemptions.
Nass argues that federal inspection requirements have contributed to consolidation in meat processing and left small farmers dependent on a limited number of slaughterhouses and major processors. Massie and Pingree say allowing limited on-farm processing and direct sales could give farmers another market for their livestock, expand access to locally raised meat and potentially ease pressure on beef prices. Nass describes the legislation as complementary to efforts by Save Our Food and Farms to pursue similar reforms at the state level.
Read more:
https://merylnass.substack.com/p/freeing-the-beef-me-president-trump
https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395858
