Interstate Sales of State-Inspected Meat and Poultry
The Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1967 and the Poultry Products Inspection Act of 1968 established a state-federal cooperative inspection program which requires state inspection programs to be “at least equal to” the federal program. The Acts also limit products receiving state inspection to distribution solely within that state. Twenty-eight states currently have their own meat and poultry inspection programs serving about 2,100 small or very small establishments. No other agricultural commodity (fruits, vegetables, grain, dairy products) have similar restrictions to interstate commerce.
The issue of interstate shipment of state-inspected products is a simple fairness issue. Most of the state-inspected meat plants are owned and operated by small business owners. The prohibition of interstate shipment of state-inspected meat — the only such prohibition of any food product — disrupts the free flow of trade and restricts the ability of American small business entrepreneurs to economically compete in the marketplace. NASDA strongly supports legislation that would allow interstate sales of state-inspected meat and poultry.
Letters and Comments
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The Real Facts About State Meat And Poultry Inspection September 01, 2007
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2005-10-13 Letter Requesting Meeting to Discuss Interstate Meat Shipment October 13, 2005
2005-10-13 Letter Requesting Meeting to Discuss Interstate Meat Shipment
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Letter Requesting Status on Report to Congress Reviewing State Meat and Poultry Inspection Programs March 09, 2005
2005-03-09 Letter Requesting Status on Report to Congress Reviewing State Meat and Poultry Inspection Programs
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2002-12-22 Interstate shipment of state-inspected meat. March 22, 2002
Letter to the House Agriculture Committee Chairman requesting the language in the Senate Farm Bill concerning interstate shipment of state-inspected meat be included in the final Farm Bill legislation - March 22, 2002
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2000-09-19 S. 1988, the New Markets for State-Inspected Meat Act September 19, 2000
Letter to the Sen. Richard Lugar in support of S. 1988, the New Markets For State-Inspected Meat Act (Sept. 19, 2000)
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Coalition Letter to the Senate Agriculture Committee in support of S.1988 February 24, 2000
Coalition Letter to the Senate Agriculture Committee in support of S.1988, legislation which would overturn the unfair prohibition on interstate shipment of state-inspected meat and poultry. (February 24, 2000)
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Letter from Fred L. Dailey in support of S 1988 February 18, 2000
Letter to the Senate Agriculture Committee in support of S.1988, legislation which would overturn the unfair prohibition on interstate shipment of state-inspected meat and poultry. (February 18, 2000)
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Interstate Shipment of State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Products Letter of Transmittal, November 2, 1999 November 02, 1999
Documents and Links
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Interstate Meat Website http://www.nasda.org/interstatemeatshipment/
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ND Department of Agriculture Interstate Sales Webpage http://www.agdepartment.com/Testimony/StateMeatInspFedLegislation.htm
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2006-06-20 AGRICULTURE COALITION URGES ACTION ON INTERSTATE MEAT SHIPMENT BILL
Adobe Acrobat, 7KB
PDF
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Action Alert-The Senate Ag Committee is meeting today to decide whether or not to take action on interstate meat shipment legislation on S.1988
Adobe Acrobat, 9KB
PDF
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Hatch-Daschle substitute amendment to S. 1988, legislation to lift the unfair ban on interstate shipment of state inspected meat. - June 19, 2000
Adobe Acrobat, 132KB
PDF
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Interstate Meat Shipment Creates a More Uniform Inspection System
Adobe Acrobat, 9KB
PDF
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Interstate Meat Shipment Issue Paper
Adobe Acrobat, 33KB
PDF
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Interstate Meat Shipment: Expands Small Business and Rural Development
Adobe Acrobat, 10KB
PDF
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Interstate Meat Shipment: Fairness in Trade
Adobe Acrobat, 10KB
PDF
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Interstate Meat Shipment: History of Support from USDA and Congress
Adobe Acrobat, 8KB
PDF
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News
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USDA Increases Testing of Canadian Meat and Poultry
Published: November 14, 2007
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Compromise Reached on State Meat Inspection
Published: October 24, 2007
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Meat Industry Launches New Consumer Outreach Initiative
Published: October 17, 2007
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Interstate Sales Legislation is about Economic Fairness
Published: October 03, 2007
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House Panel Considers Interstate Meat Sales
Published: June 15, 2007
The House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry considered and approved their 2007 farm bill proposals on May 24.
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House Interstate Sales Bill Introduced
Published: May 22, 2007
On May 15, Reps. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) introduced legislation (H.R. 2315) in the House to allow interstate sales of state-inspected meat and poultry.
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Coalition Urges Action on Interstate Meat Sales Legislation
Published: May 07, 2007
NASDA and a coalition of fifty agricultural and other organizations sent a letter to the Senate May 1 expressing strong support for legislation that would allow state-inspected meat and poultry to be sold in the national marketplace.
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State Agriculture Officals Urge Action On Interestate Meat Sales Legislation -Group Launches National Grassroots Campaign to Support Passage
Published: April 19, 2007
NASDA is urging Congress to take prompt action on bipartisan legislation introduced April 19 that would allow interstate sales of state-inspected meat and poultry products.
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Interstate Meat Sales Bill Introduced
Published: April 02, 2007
On March 29, Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wisc.) introduced H.R. 1760, the "Expanding Markets for Small Meat Processors Act," with five original cosponsors.