Small Meat Processors Want Equal Opportunity
One of the many oddities about American food regulations is that state-inspected meat processors can not sell across state borders, unless they process unusual meats. This has created some contradictions: Foreign countries that meet minimal U.S. standards can sell anywhere in the country, while small processors who follow the same rules can’t. The law has also favored large, corporate meat processors over small businesses, since only the large companies can ship nationwide.
Everyone who’s read Fast Food Nation knows that these processing plants push workers and safety concerns to the edge of unacceptability—and often beyond. But consumers and small purveyors can’t choose to buy meat from a quality plant in a different state unless federal inspectors have vetted the facility.
A broad coalition of organizations has put their support behind Senate bill 3519, which would allow interstate commerce for this national network of quality processors. Call your state senator’s office and let them know what you think about the legislature.
