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S3994119th CongressWALLET

PRIME Meat Processing in Indian Country Act

Sponsored By: Senator Markwayne Mullin

Introduced

Summary

Creates a Tribal meat inspection program that would let Indian Tribes and tribally owned entities carry out Federal-style inspections at majority-tribal meat facilities. It centers on self-determination contracts, safety standards, and access to interstate markets.

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  • Tribes and tribal facilities: Would authorize Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, or tribally owned entities to hire, train, and perform inspections at "covered facilities" that are at least 51 percent tribe-owned. Contracts must meet standards no less stringent than equivalent USDA inspections, including ante mortem and postmortem checks, sanitation, humane handling, and recordkeeping.
  • Inspectors, labels, and liability: Tribal personnel performing covered activities would be treated as Federal employees for Federal Tort Claims Act purposes while on duty. Products that meet applicable criteria would get a Federal inspection label and may be shipped in interstate commerce but not sold in foreign commerce. Contracts require insurance with limits on certain waivers.
  • Oversight and rural support: The Secretary of Agriculture would keep recall, review, and audit authority and must provide technical assistance on request. Tribes operating under these contracts would be eligible for loans and grants under section 306(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Tribes get rural loans and grants

If enacted, this bill would let Tribes operating under the new self‑determination meat inspection contracts get loans and grants under USDA's Rural Water, Waste Disposal, and Community Facility programs. This help would only apply to Tribes that are operating under the specified contracts.

Tribes run federal meat inspections

If enacted, this bill would let Tribes hire, train, and use Tribal inspectors to run federally equivalent meat inspections at facilities that are at least 51% tribally owned. Inspections would be done under self‑determination contracts and must meet standards at least as strict as current federal rules, with FSIS-style training and USDA lab standards. Tribal inspectors would have authority to issue violation notices and to halt processing until problems are fixed, and they would be treated as Federal employees for Federal Tort Claims Act purposes while inspecting. Products inspected under these contracts could be shipped in interstate commerce with USDA labeling but could not be sold in foreign commerce. Tribes and facilities would need insurance, annual certification, and must follow USDA oversight, recall, and audit rules. The Secretary must be authorized to enter contracts within two years after enactment, and the program would depend on Congress providing advance appropriations.

Funds authorized for tribal inspections

If enacted, this bill would authorize USDA to get whatever money is necessary to run the tribal meat inspection program. Those funds would remain available until spent. Only funds Congress appropriates in advance for this section could be used. The program would still depend on future appropriations.

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Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Markwayne Mullin

OK • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 3/4/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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