Press Releases
Rep. Massie's PRIME Act Included in House-Passed Farm BillFor Immediate Release "I am excited to announce that a pilot program for the PRIME Act is included in this year’s Farm Bill," said Rep. Thomas Massie. "This means consumers can soon expect increased access to locally raised and processed beef, pork, and lamb sold directly from farmers, and farmers will no longer be burdened by the hefty and costly U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) constraints that force them to drive hundreds of miles with their animals to the few and sparse USDA facilities, as currently required." "A healthy America begins with what we eat," Rep. Massie continued. "I am committed to making better food accessible for all families and advancing policies that empower consumers, support local farmers, and strengthen our nation’s food system." The PRIME Act pilot program is included as Section 12114 of the Farm Bill. Under its provisions, upon application from a custom-exempt slaughter facility, a state may operate a pilot program allowing the facility to sell slaughtered meat and meat food products directly to consumers within the state in which the facility is located. The pilot program includes a labeling regime requiring that all products are clearly labeled to indicate the name and address of the processing facility, the name and address of the animal's owner from which the meat products are derived, the location where the animals were raised, the date of slaughter and the period of time over which the owner raised the animals, notice that the meat was not subject to federal inspection, and an advertisement that the product shall not be resold. Custom-exempt slaughter facilities participating in the pilot program are required to comply with the Humane Methods Slaughter Act of 1958, all applicable state and local laws, section 23(d) of the Federal Meat Inspection Act, and federal regulations about sanitation standards, recordkeeping, and the handling of specified risk materials. Facilities participating in the program remain subject to periodic on-site inspections by the USDA to ensure compliance with the pilot program's requirements, as well as to regular inspections conducted by either local authorities responsible for restaurant inspections or the state Department of Agriculture. Legislative text for the PRIME Act pilot program is available at this link. Additional Background: Rep. Massie's PRIME Act is designed to make it easier for small farms and ranches to serve consumers. Under the PRIME Act, local inspectors––rather than USDA inspectors––could inspect meat production facilities, and regulations governing meat distribution could be adjusted to allow more convenient access for consumers. The PRIME Act would give individual states the freedom to permit intrastate distribution of locally grown and slaughtered meat to consumers, restaurants, hotels, boarding houses, and grocery stores. The PRIME Act is bipartisan legislation. Reps. Massie (R-KY) and Pingree (D-ME) introduced the legislation on July 23, 2025. Companion legislation, S.2409, has been introduced in the United States Senate by Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Rand Paul (R-KY). Legislative text for HR 4700, the PRIME Act, is available at this link. A current list of cosponsors is available at this link. Rep. Massie raises cattle on his off-the-grid farm in northeast Kentucky. Rep. Pingree raises grass-fed beef and chickens on her island farm in North Haven, Maine. ### |