Bill > HR18

This resolution urges the New Hampshire congressional delegation to sponsor legislation and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to adopt regulations that would allow small-scale slaughter plants to use Custom Exempt meat processing inspection criteria with a third-party inspector present during slaughter. The goal is to enable farmers to sell processed beef, pork, lamb, and goat meat as individual cuts directly to consumers. The resolution highlights the current challenges in meat processing, including the limited number of USDA-approved slaughter plants in New Hampshire, which require farmers to schedule slaughter dates before livestock are even born. It also references supply chain issues during the COVID-19 pandemic that exposed vulnerabilities in the meat processing industry and emphasizes the importance of a strong local food economy. The resolution notes that similar exemptions already exist for poultry and non-amenable species like bison and deer, and seeks to extend more flexibility to small-scale meat producers. If passed, the resolution would direct copies of the document to be sent to the New Hampshire congressional delegation, the USDA Secretary, and the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service administrator.

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_docket.aspx?lsr=1171&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txtbillnumber=HR18