Plain Language Summary
# PRIME Act Summary **What the bill would do:** The PRIME Act would allow meat from animals slaughtered at custom facilities to be sold within a state without federal inspection, expanding current exemptions. Right now, meat from custom slaughter facilities can only be used for personal consumption. This bill would permit intrastate sales to restaurants, grocery stores, hotels, and other food businesses—as long as both the slaughter facility and the sales occur within the same state. **Who it affects:** The bill primarily impacts small-scale meat producers, custom slaughter facilities, local farmers, and state-level food businesses. It could also affect consumers who purchase locally-raised meat products.
Federal meat inspectors and food safety agencies would have reduced oversight of these operations. **Current status:** The bill is currently in committee and has not yet been voted on by Congress. It was introduced by Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) in the 119th Congress. No companion bill in the Senate has been identified yet.
CRS Official Summary
Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act or the PRIME Act This bill exempts from federal inspection requirements animals and meats that are slaughtered and prepared at custom animal slaughter facilities for distribution within the state. Under current law, a custom slaughter exemption applies if the meat is slaughtered exclusively for personal, household, guest, or employee uses. Specifically, the bill expands the federal inspection exemption to include the slaughter of animals or the preparation of carcasses, meat, and meat food products that are slaughtered and prepared at a custom slaughter facility in accordance with the laws of the state where the facility is located; and prepared exclusively for distribution to household consumers in the state or restaurants, hotels, boarding houses, grocery stores, or other establishments in the state that either prepare meals served directly to consumers or offer meat and food products for sale directly to consumers in the state. The bill does not preempt any state law concerning (1) the slaughter of animals or the preparation of carcasses, meat, and meat food products at a custom slaughter facility; or (2) the sale of meat or meat food products.
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.