New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act of 2023
Key claim: Meat and poultry inspected under state-run inspection programs would be permitted to be sold across state lines nationwide under proposed federal legislation.
Abstract
(S846 · 118th Congress) New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act of 2023 This bill allows meat and poultry products inspected by State Meat and Poultry Inspection programs to be sold in interstate commerce. Under the inspection programs, the Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service allows states that meet certain requirements to inspect meat and poultry. The state-inspected products are currently limited to intrastate commerce, unless a state opts into a separate Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program. Latest action (2023-03-16): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Why this matters
If enacted, the proposal could expand out-of-state markets for farmers using state-inspected processors and broaden consumers’ access to those products. The reported status is introduction and committee referral, not enactment, and the finding does not establish effects on food prices or food-safety outcomes.