American Protein Processing Modernization Act

Key Provisions

• Would require the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to publish clear food safety rules. These rules would be for meat and poultry plants seeking faster inspection rates. This must happen within 90 days of the bill becoming law.
• Requires the USDA to review and respond to requests from plants for faster inspection rates within 90 days of receiving them.
• States that if the USDA does not respond to a plant's request within 90 days, the request would automatically be approved.
• Would allow meat and poultry plants already using faster inspection rates to continue. They could do so as long as they maintain good safety practices, or until their new request is processed.
• Would set up a process for the USDA to notify plants that fail to meet safety rules. It would give them 180 days to fix problems. After this, their faster inspection rates could be revoked.