The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has announced its opposition to the Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption (PRIME) Act introduced by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Chellie Pingree (D-ME). Companion legislation has been introduced in the United States Senate by Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Rand Paul (R-KY).
The legislation would allow beef processed in a non-U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspected facility to be distributed interstate, posing a threat to food safety and consumer trust in beef.
“NCBA is in favor of reducing regulatory burdens, but not at the expense of food safety,” said NCBA President Todd Wilkinson, a South Dakota cattle producer. “While the PRIME Act is well intentioned, allowing uninspected beef to enter the retail market is dangerous to consumers.”
NCBA says it is supportive of federal and state meat inspection efforts and has previously supported legislation like the DIRECT Act that would allow state-inspected beef to be sold interstate in limited quantities, direct-to-consumer, and through e-commerce. However, NCBA says those measures, unlike those in the PRIME Act, would create the necessary paper trail to trace and contain any potential food safety concerns.
Source: National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
