USDA Approves Minnesota Poultry Program

February 28, 2000

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has approved a Minnesota state poultry inspection program. The state program’s requirements at least are equal to those of the federal meat inspection program.

In December 1998 Minnesota began administering a state meat inspection program that included requirements at least equal to those of the federal program. FSIS amended regulations to allow the state to implement its own program for poultry products on Feb. 11. State inspected meat and poultry can be sold only within the state.

Last fall, USDA forwarded a bill to Congress that would provide for interstate shipment of state inspected meat and poultry. In November Sens. Thomas Daschle (D-SD) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) introduced legislation for interstate shipments of state-inspected meat products.

"We are pleased to announce that Minnesota has developed and implemented poultry products inspection requirements that are equivalent to those of USDA and will now be responsible for administering its own poultry products inspection program," said FSIS Administrator Thomas J. Billy.

The Poultry Products Inspection Act provides that whenever the Secretary of Agriculture determines that any state has developed and will enforce state inspection requirements at least equal those imposed by the federal government, the sate will be permitted to operate its own inspection program.