Senators try again to allow meat products across state lines

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Senators from Maine and South Dakota are reintroducing a proposal to allow meat and poultry products inspected through state programs to be sold across state lines.

Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine and Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota have characterized the law change as a way to help smaller, local meat producers be more competitive.

King said farmers who have demonstrated the quality of their meat through state programs “should not have to jump through extra hoops to expand into new markets,” which he called “the textbook definition of redundancy.”

The senators said there are 27 states with inspection programs certified by the Food Safety Inspection Service, which also oversees inspections for meat and poultry intended for interstate sale.

Yet even though these state programs often exceed federal guidelines, certified products cannot be sold across state lines.