HR 5341
LOCAL Foods Act of 2025
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Bill overview
The LOCAL Foods Act of 2025 proposes changes to the Federal Meat Inspection Act to allow certain small-scale livestock owners to process and transport their animals and products without federal inspection. Specifically, it creates an exemption for owners who raise and process livestock solely for their own use, their household, non-paying guests, and employees. The bill aims to reduce the regulatory burden on local food producers, but requires the owner to maintain control and identification of the meat products.
Key provisions
- Creates an exemption for livestock owners who process animals solely for their own use.
- Allows slaughtering, preparation, and transportation of carcasses for personal use without federal inspection.
- Requires the owner to maintain custody and identification of meat products.
- Specifies that this exemption applies to non-paying guests and employees.
Who is affected
- Small-scale livestock farmers
- Local food producers
- Consumers of locally produced meat
Notable changes
- Modifies the Federal Meat Inspection Act to create a new exemption.
- Alters the definition of ‘commerce’ as it relates to meat processing.
Sponsors
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Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
Becca [D-VT-At Large] Balint
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 5341
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to exempt certain owners of livestock from inspection requirements, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Livestock Owned by Communities to Advance Local Foods Act of 2025 LOCAL Foods Act of 2025
or the
.
Section 23(a) of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 623(a)) is amended by striking the slaughtering by any person of animals of his own raising, and the preparation by him and transportation in commerce of the carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products of such animals exclusively for use by him and members of his household and his nonpaying guests and employees
and inserting the slaughtering of animals by any person that is an owner of the animals in whole or in part, or the preparation or transportation in commerce of the carcasses or parts thereof or meat and meat food products from those animals by an owner, if such slaughter, preparation, or transportation is exclusively for the use of an owner or the household, nonpaying guests, or employees of an owner, subject to the condition that if an owner designates an agent to assist in such slaughter, preparation, or transportation, the owner shall maintain custody and specific identification of the carcasses or parts thereof or meat and meat food products, as determined by the Secretary
.