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The Stand-Up Program will provide up to $50 million in new funding to help states start or expand their own meat inspection programs in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The program carries out President Trump’s September 4 Executive Order to expand market access for American meat producers and strengthen the domestic supply chain.
Thirty states currently operate State Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) programs and 11 participate in the Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) program. Based on feedback from participating states, high start-up costs can deter states from initiating a state meat inspection program. The Stand-Up Program removes that barrier so more small, very small, and mid-size processors can get inspected and more livestock producers have a place to process close to home.
State MPI programs must operate “at least equal to” federal food safety standards, and enrolled plants can sell throughout the state. States with existing MPI programs are eligible to join the CIS program and must demonstrate their inspection is “same as” the federal standards.
The current 30 states participating include: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Under CIS, state-inspected plants can sell across state lines under the USDA mark of inspection.
Current 11 states participating include: Indiana, Iowa, Georgia, Maine, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin.
Every new state partnership adds processing capacity, cuts regulatory burden on small processors, and keeps agricultural dollars in rural communities.
September 16, 2026/ USDA/ United States.
https://www.fsis.usda.gov
