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H.R. 4700: Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act

This bill, known as the Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act (PRIME Act), proposes amendments to the Federal Meat Inspection Act regarding the slaughter and processing of animals at custom slaughter facilities. Here are the key points of the bill:

Exemption for Custom Slaughter Facilities

The bill allows for an exemption from federal inspection requirements for the slaughtering of animals and the preparation of their meat at custom slaughter facilities. The conditions for this exemption include:

The operations must comply with the laws of the state where the facility is located.
The meat and meat products must be prepared and distributed solely within the state, specifically:
- To household consumers within the same state.
- To local establishments such as restaurants, hotels, boarding houses, grocery stores, or similar places that either serve meals or sell meat products directly to consumers.

State Law Preemption

The bill clarifies that the amendments made shall not interfere with state laws related to the slaughtering of animals, preparation of meat, or sales of meat products. This means that states can still enforce their own regulations concerning these activities, independent of federal laws.

Legislative Process

The bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives and is sponsored by Mr. Massie, with several co-sponsors from both parties. It is currently under consideration by the Committee on Agriculture.