Bill Summary
The Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act, also known as the PRIME Act, is a bill that amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act. It aims to exempt custom slaughter facilities from federal inspection for the slaughter of animals and preparation of their carcasses. This exemption would apply if the slaughter and preparation are carried out in accordance with the state law and the products are intended for distribution within the state to household consumers and certain establishments. The term "state" includes all states, the District of Columbia, and US territories. The PRIME Act also states that it does not preempt any state laws related to the slaughter and preparation of animals and sale of meat products at custom slaughter facilities.
Possible Impacts
1. The "Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act" may affect people who rely on custom slaughter facilities for their meat by exempting them from federal meat inspection. This could impact the safety and quality of the meat they consume.
2. The Act may also affect small businesses and farmers who operate custom slaughter facilities by reducing the regulatory burden and allowing them to sell their products within the state without federal oversight.
3. The exemption for custom slaughter facilities could also have an economic impact on larger meat processing companies, potentially giving smaller facilities a competitive advantage in the market. This could affect the job market and local economies in areas where meat processing is a prominent industry.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2859 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2859
To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to exempt from inspection the
slaughter of animals and the preparation of carcasses conducted at a
custom slaughter facility, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 21, 2019
Mr. Massie (for himself, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Amash, Mr. Biggs, Mr. Duncan,
Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Huffman, Mr. King of Iowa, Mr. Meadows, Mr. Perry,
and Ms. Stefanik) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to exempt from inspection the
slaughter of animals and the preparation of carcasses conducted at a
custom slaughter facility, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Processing Revival and Intrastate
Meat Exemption Act'' or the ``PRIME Act''.
SEC. 2. EXEMPTION FOR SLAUGHTER AND PREPARATION OCCURRING AT CUSTOM
SLAUGHTER FACILITIES.
Section 23 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 623) is
amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) as
paragraphs (c), (d), and (e), respectively;
(2) by inserting after paragraph (a) the following new
paragraph:
``(b)(1) The provisions of this title requiring inspection of the
slaughter of animals and the preparation of the carcasses, parts
thereof, meat and meat food products at establishments conducting such
operations for commerce shall not apply to the slaughtering by any
person of animals at a custom slaughter facility, and the preparation
at such custom slaughter facility and transportation in commerce of the
carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products of such animals
if--
``(A) the slaughtering and preparation carried out at such
custom slaughter facility is carried out in accordance with the
law of the State in which the custom slaughter facility is
located; and
``(B) the animals are so slaughtered and the carcasses,
parts thereof, meat and meat food products of such animals are
so prepared exclusively for distribution to--
``(i) household consumers within the State; and
``(ii) restaurants, hotels, boarding houses,
grocery stores, or other establishments located in such
State that--
``(I) are involved in the preparation of
meals served directly to consumers; or
``(II) offer meat and meat food products
for sale directly to consumers in the State.
``(2) For purposes of subparagraph (1), the term `State' means each
State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and each
territory or possession of the United States.''; and
(3) in paragraph (c) (as redesignated by paragraph (1)), in
the second sentence, by striking ``paragraph (b)'' and
inserting ``paragraph (c)''.
SEC. 3. NO PREEMPTION OF STATE LAW.
The amendments made by section 2 shall not be construed as
preempting any State law that concerns the slaughter of animals or the
preparation of carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products at
a custom slaughter facility, or the sale of meat or meat food products.
<all>