H.R. 4700 – PRIME Act | Legislate.dev

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 23, 2025 at 11:14 PM UTC

The PRIME Act changes the Federal Meat Inspection Act to let small, locally‑focused slaughter operations avoid federal inspection if they follow their own state regulations and only sell meat within that state. It targets "custom slaughter facilities" that serve households or nearby restaurants and stores, aiming to reduce regulatory burdens for intrastate meat producers. The bill also makes clear that it does not interfere with any existing state laws on meat processing or sales.

Key Provisions

Creates an exemption from federal meat‑inspection requirements for animals slaughtered and carcasses prepared at a "custom slaughter facility" when the operation follows the state’s own laws.
The exemption only applies if the meat is sold or given to consumers within the same state (or D.C. or U.S. territory), including direct‑to‑home sales and sales to local restaurants, hotels, boarding houses, grocery stores, or similar establishments that serve or sell meat directly to consumers.
Defines “State” to include each state, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories or possessions.
Specifies that the amendment does not override any state law that already regulates slaughter or meat sales at custom facilities.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Agriculture Committee

July 23, 2025

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

July 23, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Agriculture Committee

July 23, 2025

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 4700 on the floor

1 Republican

Rep. Keith SelfR-TX-3 · Sep 16, 2025

Mr. Speaker, I hereby remove my name as cosponsor of H.R. 4700.

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued July 23, 2025

I

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 4700

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 23, 2025

Mr. Massie (for himself, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Arrington, Mr. Brecheen, Mr. Perry, Ms. Boebert, Mr. Burchett, Ms. Hageman, Ms. Greene of Georgia, Mr. Tiffany, Mr. Roy, Mr. Gosar, Mr. Self, Mr. Burlison, Mr. Cloud, Mr. Davidson, Mr. Biggs of Arizona, Mr. Cline, Mr. Donalds, Mr. Gill of Texas, Mr. Ogles, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, Mr. Grothman, Ms. Lee of Florida, Ms. Mace, Mr. Nehls, Mrs. Harshbarger, Mr. McClintock, Mrs. Spartz, Mr. Mills, Mr. Rulli, Mr. Moore of Utah, Mr. Baumgartner, Mr. Clyde, Ms. Salazar, Ms. Maloy, Mr. Smucker, Mr. Williams of Texas, Mr. Carter of Texas, Mr. Valadao, Ms. Leger Fernandez, Mr. Owens, Mr. Golden of Maine, Mr. Huffman, and Ms. Tokuda) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to exempt from inspection the slaughter of animals and the preparation of carcasses conducted at a custom slaughter facility, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act or the PRIME Act.

2.

Exemption for slaughter and preparation occurring at custom slaughter facilities

Section 23 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 623) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) as paragraphs (c), (d), and (e), respectively;

(2)

by inserting after paragraph (a) the following new paragraph:

(b)

(1)

The provisions of this title requiring inspection of the slaughter of animals and the preparation of the carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products at establishments conducting such operations for commerce shall not apply to the slaughtering by any person of animals at a custom slaughter facility, and the preparation at such custom slaughter facility and transportation in commerce of the carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products of such animals if—

(A)

the slaughtering and preparation carried out at such custom slaughter facility is carried out in accordance with the law of the State in which the custom slaughter facility is located; and

(B)

the animals are so slaughtered and the carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products of such animals are so prepared exclusively for distribution to—

(i)

household consumers within the State; and

(ii)

restaurants, hotels, boarding houses, grocery stores, or other establishments located in such State that—

(I)

are involved in the preparation of meals served directly to consumers; or

(II)

offer meat and meat food products for sale directly to consumers in the State.

(2)

For purposes of subparagraph (1), the term State means each State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and each territory or possession of the United States.

; and

(3)

in paragraph (c) (as redesignated by paragraph (1)), in the second sentence, by striking paragraph (b) and inserting paragraph (c).

3.

No preemption of State law

The amendments made by section 2 shall not be construed as preempting any State law that concerns the slaughter of animals or the preparation of carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products at a custom slaughter facility, or the sale of meat or meat food products.