U.S. Bill to Support Small Meatpackers Reintroduced
by Susan Kelly, meatingplace.com
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ederal legislation aimed at helping small meat and poultry processors sell their products across state lines has been reintroduced in both the U.S. House and Senate. The American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP) has voiced strong support for the bill, calling it a “game-changer” for small packers. “There has never been a more favorable piece of legislation for small processors,” AAMP said in a press release. Named the Strengthening Local Processing Act, the bill would increase USDA’s share of costs for state inspection programs to 65 percent from 50 percent and boost the federal share of funding for the Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) program to 80 percent from 60 percent. Currently, 27 states have FSIS-approved meat or poultry inspection programs. The CIS program allows state-inspected plants to operate as federally inspected facilities
and ship their products in interstate commerce and internationally. However, to date, only eight states have established CIS programs. The legislation would require the Food Safety and Inspection Service to conduct outreach to states with state inspection programs that are not part of the CIS program, and require FSIS to submit a report to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees each year detailing the activities and results of the outreach conducted. The act would change the CIS small plant eligibility size to plants with more than 50 employees from plants with more than 25 employees. It would fund reimbursement grants to help small plants expand infrastructure to increase harvest and processing capacity. The legislation would also funnel federal dollars toward training, education, and technical assistance grants, according to a press release from bill sponsor U.S. Senators John Thune (R-S.D.). Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) reintroduced the legislation. The bill is also co-sponsored by Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Angus King (D-Maine),
Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), and Bob Casey (D-Penn.) and Representative Ann McLane Kuster (D-N.H.). “The pandemic highlighted significant vulnerabilities in our nation’s food supply chain, especially when it comes to meat processing capacity,” said Thune. The system shortage was not caused by lack of protein available, but by a lack of processors at the local level coupled with high demand for protein in local and regional markets, Ken Charfauros, owner of Wall Meats, said in the release from Thune’s office. “During the height of the protein shortages, small processors were asked to accomplish large processing tasks. That task has proven to be daunting to say the least,” he said. Pressure on protein processors continues, with processing dates already booked into 2022, Charfauros said. Other legislative efforts to boost small processors are being taken up at the state level.
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