State meat and poultry inspection proposal pared back to study, advanced

The state would research the feasibility of a meat and poultry inspection program under a bill advanced from general file March 30.

LB305, introduced by O’Neill Sen. Tyson Larson, originally would have directed the state Department of Agriculture to create a cooperative state inspection program under federal law by 2013. To fund the program, the Cooperative State Meat and Poultry Inspection Cash Fund would have been created and funded with two transfers of $100,000 from the Commercial Feed Administration Cash Fund.

Larson offered an amendment, adopted 40-0, that reduced the scope of the bill to require the department to submit a report to the Legislature describing actions necessary to implement a state meat and poultry inspection program. The amendment would permit use of the Commercial Feed Administration Cash Fund for expenses related to the report and a cooperative agreement with the USDA Market News reporting program.

Larson said the department estimates that the report will cost $25,000.

Twenty-seven other states have meat and poultry inspection programs, Larson said, including five neighboring states. These programs permit producers to tap niche markets and increase inspector accessibility, he said, adding that the 2008 federal farm bill includes a provision that could allow state-inspected meat to be shipped across state lines.

Finally, a state inspection program could pave the way for the development of a horse processing facility in Nebraska, Larson said. Congress eliminated funds for federal inspection of horse meat, he said, which effectively ended horse slaughter in 2007.

“LB305 is the first step toward a solution for horse owners and others who are concerned about the increased number of unwanted horses,” Larson said.

Wilber Sen. Russ Karpisek, who cast the lone vote against LB305 in committee, questioned the need for a state inspection program.

“To have state meat inspection that does nothing more than federal [inspections] except cost you more money … is not going to help,” Karpisek said.

LB305 advanced from general file on a 35-1 vote.