March 5, 2026
Mr. Burchett introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to allow interstate shipment of meat and meat food products inspected and passed under qualifying State programs.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the American Meat Freedom Act
.
Sec. 2. Findings
Congress finds the following:
(1)
State meat inspection programs are authorized under section 301 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 661) if the Secretary of Agriculture determines that such programs impose requirements at least equal to
those imposed under Federal inspection.
(2)
Ranchers and small-scale meat producers operating under compliant State inspection programs are currently limited in their ability to access interstate markets.
(3)
Allowing interstate shipment of meat and meat food products inspected under qualifying State programs will—
(A)
expand market access for small and mid-sized ranchers;
(B)
increase competition in meat processing;
(C)
strengthen domestic food supply resilience; and
(D)
maintain food safety standards equivalent to Federal inspection.
Sec. 3. Interstate shipment of State-inspected meat
(a) Amendments
Section 301(a)(1) of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 661(a)(1)) is amended—
(1)
by striking solely for distribution within such State
; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following:
Meat or meat food products may be shipped, transported, offered for sale, or sold in interstate commerce if such meat or meat food products were inspected and passed under such a State meat inspection law, provided that—
(A)
the Secretary has determined on or after the date that is 36 months before such shipment, transportation, offering for sale, or sale that the State meat inspection law meets the requirements of the previous sentence;
(B)
the establishment that produced the meat or meat food products has complied, with respect to such meat or meat food products, with all applicable requirements of such State meat inspection law;
(C)
the meat or meat food product bears labeling indicating that it was inspected and passed under a State meat inspection program for interstate shipment, transportation, and sale; and
(D)
the State that enacted such meat inspection law has agreed to submit to periodic audits by the Secretary.
(b) Rulemaking
Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall promulgate regulations to implement the amendments made by subsection (a).