Plymouth Senator's bill on direct meat purchases, advances

BEATRICE – Consumers could buy individual packages of meat directly from a producer or processor under a bill that advanced Tuesday, in the Nebraska Legislature.  LB 324 was introduced by Senator Tom Brandt of Plymouth.

"This is one of the Agriculture Committee's priority bills, because of the opportunity for rural economic development."

Brandt said disruptions in food supply during the coronavirus pandemic caused a bottleneck at local processors in the state. He said reductions in work schedules and line speed at packing plants served to back up, finished livestock on farms.

"Before the pandemic, a typical producer scheduled locker dates four to six weeks in advance. Now, the wait time can be 20 to 24 months...and this means reservations must be made before the animal is even born. Uncertainty affects both consumers and producers. Consumers are demonstrating a newfound appreciation and increasing demand for local foods that cannot be met. Families who are now spending more time cooking at home are learning that high quality local meat provides a better and more affordable alternative."

Brandt says LB 324 will help address the issues brought on during the pandemic. A consumer could buy a share of a producer’s live animal….known as a herd share. The shares are sold in a live animal or herd to multiple owners, who are then entitled to a share of the meat when the animal is slaughtered. A USDA employee does not have to inspect the herd share owner’s package of meat.

"Purchase of a share gives a consumer a claim to ownership under the Nebraska Meat and Poultry inspection law and Federal Meat Inspection Act. This claim to ownership allows the producer and consumer to do business under the customer exemptions established in statute 623 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act."

The bill would include guidelines to ensure compliance with state and federal laws. Brandt says the bill was modeled after a similar system recently enacted in Wyoming.  The bill advanced to the next round of consideration, on a 46-0 vote.