PRIME Act

To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to exempt from inspection the slaughter of animals and the preparation of carcasses conducted at a custom slaughter facility, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act PRIME Act 2. Exemption for slaughter and preparation occurring at custom slaughter facilities Section 23 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act ( 21 U.S.C. 623 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) as paragraphs (c), (d), and (e), respectively; (2) by inserting after paragraph (a) the following new paragraph: (b) (1) The provisions of this title requiring inspection of the slaughter of animals and the preparation of the carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products at establishments conducting such operations for commerce shall not apply to the slaughtering by any person of animals at a custom slaughter facility, and the preparation at such custom slaughter facility and transportation in commerce of the carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products of such animals if— (A) the slaughtering and preparation carried out at such custom slaughter facility is carried out in accordance with the law of the State in which the custom slaughter facility is located; and (B) the animals are so slaughtered and the carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products of such animals are so prepared exclusively for distribution to— (i) household consumers within the State; and (ii) restaurants, hotels, boarding houses, grocery stores, or other establishments located in such State that— (I) are involved in the preparation of meals served directly to consumers; or (II) offer meat and meat food products for sale directly to consumers in the State. (2) For purposes of subparagraph (1), the term State ; and (3) in paragraph (c) (as redesignated by paragraph (1)), in the second sentence, by striking paragraph (b) paragraph (c) 3. No preemption of State law The amendments made by section 2 shall not be construed as preempting any State law that concerns the slaughter of animals or the preparation of carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products at a custom slaughter facility, or the sale of meat or meat food products.

Summary: Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act or the PRIME Act This bill expands the exemption of custom slaughtering of animals from federal inspection requirements. Under current law, the exemption applies if the meat is slaughtered for personal, household, guest, and employee uses. The bill expands the exemption to include meat that is 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, parts thereof, meat and meat food products at a custom slaughter facility; or (2) the sale of meat or meat food products.