H.R. 3076: Strengthening Local Processing Act of 2025

This bill, known as the Strengthening Local Processing Act of 2025, aims to support small and very small meat and poultry processing establishments by making several amendments to existing federal laws addressing meat and poultry inspection. Below are the key provisions of the bill:

1. Guidance and Resources for Small Establishments

The bill proposes to enhance the Poultry Products Inspection Act and the Federal Meat Inspection Act by providing specific guidelines and resources to smaller and very small meat and poultry establishments. This includes:

• Establishing a free, searchable database of peer-reviewed studies for developing Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plans.
• Publishing model HACCP plans online, tailored to various types of establishments, like slaughter-only or processing-only facilities.
• Requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to issue guidance documents outlining the necessary steps for these smaller establishments to gain approval for HACCP plans.

2. Federal Share of Inspection Costs

The bill increases the federal share of expenses for state inspection programs from 50% to 65% under both the Poultry Products Inspection Act and the Federal Meat Inspection Act.

3. Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program

The bill revises the criteria for establishments participating in the Cooperative Interstate Shipment program, raising the employee limit from 25 to 50 employees. This expansion aims to allow more small establishments to participate and benefit from federal oversight while enhancing their market reach.

4. Processing Resilience Grant Program

A new grant program will be established to provide financial support to eligible meat and poultry processing entities to enhance their resilience and capacity. Key aspects of the grant program include:

• Competitive grants not exceeding $500,000, with a grant duration of up to three years.
• Activities supported by the grants may include health and safety improvements, expansion of processing capabilities, and overall resilience of the small meat and poultry processing sector.

5. Local Meat and Poultry Processing Training Programs

The bill also calls for the establishment of training programs related to meat and poultry processing, including:

• Providing competitive grants to educational institutions and organizations to set up or expand training programs.
• Creating structured apprenticeship programs focused on essential skills for operating and working in processing facilities.

6. Outreach Efforts and Reports

There will be ongoing outreach efforts by the Secretary of Agriculture to facilitate participation in programs and to report on the activities and results of these initiatives. These reports will be made available to various congressional committees.

7. Funding Authorization

The bill authorizes appropriations of $20 million yearly for the grant program from 2026 through 2031 and $10 million annually for other training programs from 2025 through 2030.

Relevant Companies

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