USDA Launches $50M Stand-Up Program to Accelerate State Meat Inspection

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced Sept. 16 the Stand-Up Program, a USDA initiative providing up to $50 million in funding to assist states in starting or expanding their own meat inspection programs in partnership with the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

The program fulfills President Donald J. Trump’s Sept. 4 Executive Order aimed at expanding domestic market access for independent livestock producers, lowering processing bottlenecks and strengthening the agricultural supply chain.

Key Program Details

High initial startup costs have historically prevented states from launching localized inspection systems. The Stand-Up Program covers these initial costs so small, very small and mid-sized processors can obtain inspection certification and expand capacity for local livestock producers.

“Under President Trump, we are revitalizing rural America by providing tools that help farmers, ranchers, and rural communities thrive. The President directed USDA to open more markets for American ranchers, and we are delivering,” Rollins says. “Too many states have wanted a food inspection program of their own and could not get past the start-up costs. Now they can. Food safety standards will not move, and more state programs mean more local processing, more competition for the rancher’s cattle, and more American meat on American tables.”

Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Mindy Brashears, adds, “The United States has one of the strongest, most interconnected food safety systems in the world, and our state inspection programs play a big role. State inspection programs share the same mission as FSIS, which is ensuring safe food for American families. When we invest in our state partners, we’re not just adding processing capacity in rural America. We’re doing it in a way that is practical, backed by science and data, and built to protect public health.”

How State Meat Inspection Works: MPI vs. CIS

State Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) Program:
Regulatory Standard: Must be “at least equal to” federal food safety laws.
Market Scope: Products inspected under an MPI program can only be sold intrastate (within state lines).
State Participation (30 States): Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) Program:
Regulatory Standard: Must be the “same as” federal inspection requirements.
Market Scope: Qualifying small processors (fewer than 25 employees) can ship meat interstate (across state lines) bearing the official USDA mark of inspection.
Eligibility: Limited exclusively to states that already operate an FSIS-approved State MPI program.
State Participation (11 States): Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin.

Industry Reaction

“I am not against “beefing up” state inspection, but at the same time, I am inclined to believe that this will not go very far with regard to Rollins’ desire to increase packing/processing capacity,” says John Nalivka, Sterling Marketing president. “There is much more to the economics of the industry than the Administration wanting to ‘revitalize rural America.’ Also, increasing capacity in rural America requires the people who want to fill the jobs. That may be easier said than done.”