Strengthening Local Processing Act of 2023
12/15/2023, 4:05 PMSummary of Bill S 354
The Strengthening Local Processing Act of 2023, also known as Bill 118 s 354, is a piece of legislation currently being considered by the US Congress. The main goal of this bill is to support and promote local food processing facilities in order to strengthen local food systems and increase access to fresh, healthy foods for consumers.The bill includes provisions to provide grants and technical assistance to small and mid-sized food processing facilities, with a focus on supporting businesses owned by women, minorities, and veterans. These grants would be used to help these facilities upgrade their equipment, improve food safety measures, and expand their operations.
Additionally, the bill aims to increase transparency and accountability in the food processing industry by requiring facilities to report on their sourcing practices and the quality of their products. This information would be made available to consumers, allowing them to make more informed choices about the food they purchase. Overall, the Strengthening Local Processing Act of 2023 seeks to support local economies, promote food security, and improve the overall health and well-being of communities across the United States. It is currently being debated in Congress, with supporters arguing that it will help to create a more sustainable and equitable food system.
Congressional Summary of S 354
Strengthening Local Processing Act of 2023
This bill revises provisions related to meat and poultry processing establishments, including smaller establishments (i.e., at least 10 but fewer than 500 employees) and very small establishments (i.e., fewer than 10 employees or annual sales of less than $2.5 million).
For example, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish a searchable database of peer-reviewed validation studies for use in developing Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points plans for smaller and very small establishments.
The bill increases the maximum federal cost share from 50% to 65% that USDA may provide to assist states in creating meat and poultry inspection programs.
Additionally, USDA must conduct outreach with states that have meat and poultry inspection programs, but that do not have Cooperative Interstate Shipment programs. The Cooperative Interstate Shipment program allows state-inspected facilities to operate as federally-inspected facilities and ship their products in interstate commerce and internationally.
USDA must also award competitive grants for activities to increase resiliency and diversification of the meat processing system, including activities that support (1) the health and safety of meat and poultry plant employees, suppliers, and customers; (2) increased processing capacity; and (3) the resilience of the small meat and poultry processing sector.
Further, the bill establishes grant programs to (1) establish or expand meat and poultry processing career training programs at community colleges, vocational schools, nonprofit organizations, worker training centers, and universities; and (2) support smaller and very small establishments by offsetting the cost of training new meat and poultry processors.
