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House Concurrent Resolution 7 - Introduced
A Concurrent Resolution 1urging the United States
2Congress to support legislation to amend the
3Federal Meat Inspection Act to exempt from federal
4regulation the slaughter and processing of cattle,
5swine, and other animals produced as part of our
6food system for intrastate sale.
7WHEREAS, the coronavirus disease, COVID-19, caused
8by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, is an easily
9transmissible disease that was identified in 2019 and
10declared a pandemic in 2020;and
11WHEREAS, the outbreak of the pandemic has placed at
12risk food security systems in countries throughout the
13world;and
14WHEREAS, in the United States, the continued battle
15to control the disease has brought into sharp focus
16the need to maintain and enhance a dependable system
17of food supply;and
18WHEREAS, four companies process over 80 percent of
19American beef, and three companies control 63 percent
20of this nation’s swine processing;and
21WHEREAS, custom facilities throughout the country
22are exempt from federal inspection regulations when
23slaughtering animals for meat and processing meat for
24the personal consumption of the animal’s owner;and
25WHEREAS, during the 116th Congress, H.R. 2859 and
26S. 1620 were introduced, known as a the “Processing
-1-1Revival and Interstate Meat Exemption (PRIME) Act”,
2which would have amended the Federal Meat Inspection
3Act, and specifically 21 U.S.C. §623;and
4WHEREAS, the PRIME Act would recognize the freedom
5and flexibility of states to regulate the sale of
6custom slaughtered and processed meat within their
7respective intrastate jurisdictions in a manner
8compatible with our federal system of government;and
9WHEREAS, this system of intrastate control over
10slaughter and processing facilities would result in
11the sale of meat directly to household customers, as
12well as to restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, and
13other food establishments that serve customers in their
14state;and
15WHEREAS, this system of intrastate control over
16slaughter and processing facilities would support
17small farmers who lack reasonable access to such
18facilities, improve access to locally produced meats
19increasingly demanded by consumers, and revitalize
20rural communities;and
21WHEREAS, this system of intrastate control over
22slaughter and processing facilities would strengthen
23this nation’s food supply by increasing the number
24of slaughter and processing facilities in the United
25States;NOW THEREFORE,
26BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
27THE SENATE CONCURRING, That the Iowa House of
28Representatives urges the United States Congress to
29support the passage of legislation based on the PRIME
30Act to exempt from federal regulation the slaughter and
-2-1processing of cattle, swine, and other animals produced
2as part of our food system for intrastate sale;and
3BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
4Resolution be sent by the Chief Clerk of the House
5of Representatives to the President of the Senate
6of the United States, the Speaker of the House of
7Representatives of the United States, the Majority and
8Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, and the
9Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States
10House of Representatives;and
11BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
12Resolution be sent by the Chief Clerk of the House of
13Representatives to Iowa’s congressional delegation.
-3-da/rn
A Concurrent Resolution 1urging the United States
2Congress to support legislation to amend the
3Federal Meat Inspection Act to exempt from federal
4regulation the slaughter and processing of cattle,
5swine, and other animals produced as part of our
6food system for intrastate sale.
7WHEREAS, the coronavirus disease, COVID-19, caused
8by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, is an easily
9transmissible disease that was identified in 2019 and
10declared a pandemic in 2020;and
11WHEREAS, the outbreak of the pandemic has placed at
12risk food security systems in countries throughout the
13world;and
14WHEREAS, in the United States, the continued battle
15to control the disease has brought into sharp focus
16the need to maintain and enhance a dependable system
17of food supply;and
18WHEREAS, four companies process over 80 percent of
19American beef, and three companies control 63 percent
20of this nation’s swine processing;and
21WHEREAS, custom facilities throughout the country
22are exempt from federal inspection regulations when
23slaughtering animals for meat and processing meat for
24the personal consumption of the animal’s owner;and
25WHEREAS, during the 116th Congress, H.R. 2859 and
26S. 1620 were introduced, known as a the “Processing
-1-1Revival and Interstate Meat Exemption (PRIME) Act”,
2which would have amended the Federal Meat Inspection
3Act, and specifically 21 U.S.C. §623;and
4WHEREAS, the PRIME Act would recognize the freedom
5and flexibility of states to regulate the sale of
6custom slaughtered and processed meat within their
7respective intrastate jurisdictions in a manner
8compatible with our federal system of government;and
9WHEREAS, this system of intrastate control over
10slaughter and processing facilities would result in
11the sale of meat directly to household customers, as
12well as to restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, and
13other food establishments that serve customers in their
14state;and
15WHEREAS, this system of intrastate control over
16slaughter and processing facilities would support
17small farmers who lack reasonable access to such
18facilities, improve access to locally produced meats
19increasingly demanded by consumers, and revitalize
20rural communities;and
21WHEREAS, this system of intrastate control over
22slaughter and processing facilities would strengthen
23this nation’s food supply by increasing the number
24of slaughter and processing facilities in the United
25States;NOW THEREFORE,
26BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
27THE SENATE CONCURRING, That the Iowa House of
28Representatives urges the United States Congress to
29support the passage of legislation based on the PRIME
30Act to exempt from federal regulation the slaughter and
-2-1processing of cattle, swine, and other animals produced
2as part of our food system for intrastate sale;and
3BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
4Resolution be sent by the Chief Clerk of the House
5of Representatives to the President of the Senate
6of the United States, the Speaker of the House of
7Representatives of the United States, the Majority and
8Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, and the
9Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States
10House of Representatives;and
11BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
12Resolution be sent by the Chief Clerk of the House of
13Representatives to Iowa’s congressional delegation.
-3-da/rn