WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Angus King (I-ME) in reintroducing the New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act, legislation which would allow meat and poultry products inspected by state Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) programs to be sold across state lines.

 

“The COVID-19 pandemic taught us the United States needs to take steps to strengthen its food supply chain. The New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act would increase opportunities for beef and poultry producers without sacrificing safety standards,” said Senator Cramer. “By making a simple change to allow already-inspected meat to be sold across state lines, we would create new markets for producers and increase the competitiveness of smaller processers, while giving consumers more choices at the grocery store with no added risk.” 

 

Last year, Senator Cramer urged his colleagues to support this bill and include food supply chain support in additional COVID-19 relief packages. This bill would level the playing field for producers of meat and poultry products while maintaining the highest quality standards for consumers. Since the state inspection standards are required by law to be equal to or better than the federal inspection standards, it makes sense to allow products that pass state inspection protocols to be sold across state lines. This legislation will create new markets for producers and processers, give consumers more choices at the grocery store, and continue to maintain the high quality and safety standards necessary to keep consumers healthy.

 

Senators Cramer, Rounds, and King are joined on the bill by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Barrasso (R-WY), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jon Tester (D-MT) and John Thune (R-SD).