Farm bill offers new option to local meat producers

Beef cattle
Beef cattle producers on a Minnesota farms will soon have new options for selling their meat.
MPR file photo

A provision in the new farm bill might lead to expansions for small local meat processors.

Currently, only federally inspected large meat packers can sell their products across state lines. The new law says small state inspected meat packers can also sell their products nationwide.

Roger Johnson, North Dakota's Ag Commissioner and President of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, says small meat packers will now have a chance to grow.

"Anything you can do to increase competition in this marketplace that's becoming so concentrated is going to be good for everyone in the industry, and ultimately it will be good for the consumer as well," said Johnson.

It will likely be at least a year before USDA writes the rules for the expanded marketing of meat.

Johnson says all of the plants will be inspected using federal food safety standards.

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