Bill Introduced to Permit Interstate Movement of Meat

November 22, 1999

Legislation has been introduced to permit interstate and international distribution of state-inspected meat. Sens. Tom Daschle (D-SD) and Orin Hatch (R-UT) introduced the bill that calls for states to use federal inspection standards to allow meat to move in interstate commerce.

State-inspected beef, pork and poultry are the only food products current banned from interstate distribution. State-inspected ostrich, venison, buffalo and pheasant are allowed across state borders. Foreign meat products also are permitted into U.S. markets and are free to move across state lines.

The Daschle-Hatch bill calls for states to move away from their present "at least equal to' standards and begin implementing federal meat and poultry inspection laws and regulations, creating a "seamless relationship between the state and federal inspection standards," according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. "States will be free to impose standards beyond federal requirements."

Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman favors the bill. It "reinforces a single safety standard for all meat and poultry and will allow for interstate shipment of state-inspected product," he says. Also the bill promises to strengthen USDA's relations with state inspection programs and ensure that state programs continue to provide specialized service, Glickman adds.

"State inspection programs have expertise in addressing the unique needs of very small plants, many of which produce specialty and seasonal meat and poultry products," says Glickman. "To allow these small businesses to ship interstate and internationally will provide expanded economic opportunities for state plants near borders or those catering to niche markets."