The Red Meat Inspection Exemption Act (RMIEA) would allow qualifying small farmers to slaughter and process their own livestock for direct-to-consumer sale without federal interference, says Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) who introduced this bipartisan bill on Oct. 5. Not only do similar inspection exemptions already exist for poultry producers, but Massie points out that this legislation fulfills a promise that President Trump made in August “to allow farmers and ranchers to be given the right to process their own food.”
“Americans are concerned about the rising cost of red meat and are looking for solutions that will lower prices,” Massie explains. “The Red Meat Inspection Exemption Act will reduce the regulatory burden placed on small meat producers and enhance their ability to sell directly to local consumers. President Trump announced this great idea, but pressure from the international meat packing lobby and limits on executive power prevent him from making good on his promise. It’s up to Congress to change the law and deliver relief to American farmers and ranchers. Under U.S. law, poultry farmers are already allowed to process their own birds, so why not let small-scale livestock farmers do the same?”
The Red Meat Inspection Exemption Act creates a federal meat-inspection exemption for small livestock producers who slaughter and process animals raised on their own farms for direct distribution to consumers. Producers seeking an inspection exemption may slaughter no more than 25 cattle, 60 swine, 250 sheep or 250 goats annually.
“By allowing producers to process a limited number of animals on their farms and sell meat directly to consumers, this bill will strengthen access to locally-raised meat and provide another avenue for farmers to sell their products,” she says. “Farmers and consumers have waited long enough for relief, and this bill will deliver.”
The biggest obstacle to a prosperous local food system in this country is the lack of slaughterhouse infrastructure, says Pete Kennedy, consultant for the Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF).
“This situation has primarily been brought on by the 1967 Wholesome Meat Act which preempted state laws on meat regulation and generally prohibited the sale of on-farm slaughtered meat,” Kennedy says. “This bill restores a deeply rooted historical tradition, the sale of meat from livestock slaughtered on a farm direct from the farmer to the consumer, which can help strengthen food security and the rural economy. Many thanks to Representatives Massie and Pingree for taking a significant step towards food emancipation and improving the quality of the American food supply.”
The legislation requires:
- Meat exempted from inspection requirements must be labeled “Exempt—21 U.S.C. 623”
- Must include the name and address of the producer
- Must remain subject to federal adulteration and misbranding standards
- Must comply with any food-safety or special-handling requirements established by the USDA
The bill also expressly preserves state laws that provide broader exemptions for on-farm slaughter, processing or sale of meat.
“This bill throws a life raft to America’s small farmers. Between 2017 and 2022 the U.S. lost 142,000 farms. Providing farmers a chance to avoid being squeezed by the Big 4 meat processors will give them another chance at prosperity,” says Dr. Meryl Nass, MD, president of Save Our Food and Farms, a project of Door to Freedom.
