HR 4700
PRIME Act
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Bill overview
The PRIME Act amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act to allow for the slaughter and preparation of animals at custom slaughter facilities within a state without federal inspection, as long as the operations comply with state law and the products are distributed to household consumers or establishments within that state. This expansion of the custom slaughter exemption aims to reduce regulatory burdens for smaller meat producers. The bill does not override any existing state meat inspection laws.
Key provisions
- Expands the custom slaughter exemption to include slaughter and preparation at custom facilities.
- Requires compliance with the laws of the state where the facility is located.
- Allows distribution of meat products to household consumers and certain establishments within the state.
- Defines ‘State’ to include the United States, the District of Columbia, and territories.
- Does not preempt state meat inspection laws.
- Redesignates and amends existing sections of the Federal Meat Inspection Act.
Who is affected
- Meat producers
- Small-scale ranchers and farmers
- Consumers of meat products
- Restaurants and food service establishments
- State governments
Notable changes
- Broadens the definition of ‘custom slaughter facility’ to include preparation of carcasses and meat products.
- Specifically allows for distribution to restaurants, hotels, and grocery stores serving consumers within the state.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 4700
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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.
This Act may be cited as the Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act PRIME Act
or the
.
Section 23 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 623) is amended—
by redesignating paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) as paragraphs (c), (d), and (e), respectively;
by inserting after paragraph (a) the following new paragraph:
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—
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—
household consumers within the State; and
restaurants, hotels, boarding houses, grocery stores, or other establishments located in such State that—
are involved in the preparation of meals served directly to consumers; or
offer meat and meat food products for sale directly to consumers in the State.
in paragraph (c) (as redesignated by paragraph (1)), in the second sentence, by striking paragraph (b)
and inserting paragraph (c)
.
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.