Last week, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) once again announced opposition to the Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption, or PRIME Act.
Representatives Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, and Chellie Pingree, a Maine Democrat, introduced the bill. The legislation would allow beef processed in a non-U.S. Department of Agriculture inspected facility to be distributed interstate, posing a threat to food safety and consumer trust in beef.
NCBA President Todd Wilkinson said, “While the PRIME Act is well-intentioned, allowing uninspected beef to enter the retail market is dangerous to consumers.”
NCBA supports federal and state meat inspection efforts and has previously supported legislation like the DIRECT Act. That legislation would allow state-inspected beef to be sold interstate in limited quantities, direct-to-consumer, and through e-commerce. Unlike the PRIME Act, these measures would create the necessary paper trail to trace and contain any potential food safety concerns.
(From the National Association of Farm Broadcasters)