The U.S. Department of Agriculture is making up to $50 million available to help states launch or expand their own meat inspection programs, with the goal of increasing processing capacity and …
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture is making up to $50 million available to help states launch or expand their own meat inspection programs, with the goal of increasing processing capacity and expanding market access for American meat producers.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced the Stand-Up Program Sept. 16 in a news release. The initiative will support state inspection programs in partnership with the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
The program follows President Trump’s Sept. 4 executive order directing USDA to expand market access for American meat producers and strengthen the domestic supply chain, according to the department.
Thirty states currently operate State Meat and Poultry Inspection, or MPI, programs and 11 participate in the Cooperative Interstate Shipment, or CIS, program. USDA said feedback from participating states has shown that high startup costs can discourage states from establishing their own inspection programs.
The Stand-Up Program is intended to address those costs, allowing more small, very small and midsize processors to become inspected and giving more ranchers access to processing facilities closer to home.
“Under President Trump, we are revitalizing rural America by providing tools that help farmers, rancher, and rural communities thrive. The President directed USDA to open more markets for American ranchers, and we are delivering,” Rollins said in the release. “Too many states have wanted a food inspection program of their own and could not get past the start-up costs. Now they can. Food safety standards will not move, and more state programs mean more local processing, more competition for the rancher’s cattle, and more American meat on American tables.”
Under Secretary Dr. Mindy Brashears said state inspection programs are an important part of the nation’s food safety system.
“The United States has one of the strongest, most interconnected food safety systems in the world, and our state inspection programs play a big role. State inspection programs share the same mission as FSIS, which is ensuring safe food for American families,” said Under Secretary Dr. Mindy Brashears. “When we invest in our state partners, we're not just adding processing capacity in rural America. We're doing it in a way that is practical, backed by science and data, and built to protect public health.”
State MPI programs must operate “at least equal to” federal food safety standards. Plants enrolled in those programs can sell their products throughout the state.
States with existing MPI programs are eligible to participate in the CIS program. To participate, states must demonstrate that their inspection programs are “same as” federal standards.
The 30 states currently operating MPI programs are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Under the CIS program, state-inspected plants can sell products across state lines under the USDA mark of inspection.
The 11 states currently participating in CIS are Indiana, Iowa, Georgia, Maine, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin.
USDA said each new state partnership adds processing capacity, reduces regulatory burdens for small processors and helps keep agricultural dollars in rural communities.
