Rounds proposes legislation allowing meat products to be sold across state lines

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds has reintroduced a bill that would allow meat and poultry products inspected by state Meat and Poultry Inspection programs to be sold across state lines.

Rounds, along with Maine Sen. Angus King, announced the New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act on Friday.

The Senators say currently, cattle, sheep, swine, and goat products are limited to markets within each state even though they are required to go through the USDA inspection process.

“This makes no sense considering state inspection programs are required to be ‘at least equal to’ or better than federal state inspection standards,” Rounds said. “Our bill would allow these high-quality products that pass state inspection standards to be sold across state lines, opening up new markets for our producers and giving consumers greater choice at the grocery store.”

The legislation is supported by the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association, South Dakota Farm Bureau, Maine Farm Bureau, the South Dakota Pork Producers, the South Dakota Meat Inspection Program Director and the South Dakota Stockgrowers.

Currently, there are 27 states with inspection programs, certified by the Food Safety Inspection Service, which meet or exceed federal inspection standards. However, products processed at these FSIS approved state MPI inspected facilities are not currently allowed to be sold across state lines.

Rounds proposed a similar version of this legislation in 2019, but it never received a vote in Congress.