[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4941 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4941
To promote meat product innovation, including in specialty meats, and
value-added meat product development for the economic benefit of United
States farmers and their communities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
August 1, 2024
Ms. Baldwin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To promote meat product innovation, including in specialty meats, and
value-added meat product development for the economic benefit of United
States farmers and their communities, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Meat Business Innovation Act of
2024''.
SEC. 2. MEAT PRODUCT AND BUSINESS INNOVATION INITIATIVES.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Initiative.--The term ``initiative'' means a meat
product and business innovation initiative established under
subsection (b).
(2) Meat business.--The term ``meat business'' means a
business that develops, processes, produces, markets, or
distributes meat products.
(3) Meat product.--The term ``meat product'' means--
(A) a meat food product (as defined in section 1 of
the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601));
(B) a poultry product (as defined in section 4 of
the Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 453));
(C) a food product from an exotic animal (as
defined in section 352.1 of title 9, Code of Federal
Regulations (or a successor regulation)); and
(D) products derived from byproducts of meat
processing for human food or biomedical applications.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture.
(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish not fewer than 3
regionally located meat product and business innovation initiatives for
the purposes of--
(1) utilizing regional meat production;
(2) creating higher-value uses for meat products and
byproducts;
(3) promoting business development that diversifies farmer
income and small, regional economies through processing and
marketing innovation;
(4) diversifying meat product markets to reduce risk;
(5) protecting the food supply through proven food safety
innovations; and
(6) enhancing consumer confidence by promoting practices
that will improve animal welfare and ensure humane harvesting.
(c) Selection of Initiatives.--An initiative--
(1) shall be located in a region with a history of
livestock farming and meat processing, including fresh products
and those requiring further processing, and a proven track
record in food safety;
(2) shall be positioned in proximity to existing meat
industry resources, including research capacity, academic and
industry expertise, a density of livestock farms or farmland
suitable for livestock, ranching, and meat businesses of all
sizes;
(3) may serve--
(A) a certain product niche, such as artisanal
meat; or
(B) meat businesses with meat products derived from
a specific type of animal; and
(4) shall serve meat businesses in other regions.
(d) Entities Eligible To Host Initiative.--
(1) In general.--Any of the following entities may submit
to the Secretary an application to host an initiative:
(A) A State department of agriculture or other
State entity.
(B) A nonprofit entity with capacity to provide
consultation, expertise, and grant distribution and
tracking.
(C) An institution of higher education.
(D) A cooperative extension service with a history
of supporting small- and medium-sized businesses.
(2) Partners.--An entity described in paragraph (1) may
establish partners prior to the submission of the application
under that paragraph, or add partners on consultation with the
Secretary, which may include--
(A) a generic program to promote and provide
research and information for meat and meat products;
(B) a foundation; or
(C) any other entity described in subparagraphs (A)
through (D) of that paragraph.
(3) Preference.--In considering applications from
institutions of higher education, the Secretary shall give
special consideration to an institution of higher education
that has--
(A) biomedical, veterinary, microbiology, and
entrepreneurship expertise; and
(B) expertise in meat science.
(e) Activities of Initiatives.--
(1) Direct assistance to meat businesses.--An initiative
shall provide assistance to meat businesses in accordance with
the following:
(A) Provision of direct assistance.--Assistance may
be provided directly to meat businesses in a private
consultation or through widely available distribution,
and may be provided--
(i) directly by the entity that hosts the
initiative under subsection (d)(1);
(ii) through contracting with industry
experts;
(iii) through the provision of technical
assistance, such as informational websites,
webinars, conferences, trainings, plant tours,
and field days; or
(iv) through research institutions,
including cooperative extension services.
(B) Types of assistance.--Eligible forms of
assistance include--
(i) business consulting, including business
plan development for processed meat products;
(ii) accounting and financial literacy
training;
(iii) market evaluation;
(iv) strategic planning assistance;
(v) training in animal handling, animal
welfare, and humane harvesting practices;
(vi) research on product innovation,
including research relating to value-added
products derived from meat byproducts;
(vii) marketing and branding assistance,
including market messaging, consumer
assessments, and evaluation of regional,
national, and international markets;
(viii) innovation in emerging market
opportunities, including agritourism, and
marketing communication methods;
(ix) packaging, distribution, and supply
chain innovation;
(x) food safety training and assistance
with the development of effective food safety
programs;
(xi) meat product production training,
including in new, rare, or innovative
techniques;
(xii) reduction of enteric methane
emissions;
(xiii) process and processing facility
improvement, including planning for and
implementing plant upgrades, food safety
modernization, energy and water efficiency,
byproduct reprocessing and use maximization,
and waste treatment; and
(xiv) training for Federal and State
inspectors and other professionals who are
critical for growth of the meat industry.
(2) Competitive grants to meat businesses.--An initiative
shall provide competitive grants for new and existing meat
businesses for the purposes of--
(A) modernization, specialization, and market
diversification for livestock farms;
(B) value chain and commodity innovation and
facility and process updates for meat processors;
(C) product development, packaging, and marketing
of meat products;
(D) innovation in biomanufacturing to address the
need for--
(i) byproduct reprocessing and use
maximization; and
(ii) improving sustainability;
(E) providing food safety education and training to
better meet shifting regulatory demands;
(F) improving and modernizing food safety
infrastructure, including technological adaptations,
equipment, and food safety programs; and
(G) improving and modernizing animal handling
safety infrastructure, including technological
adaptations, equipment, and animal welfare programs.
(f) Distribution of Funds.--
(1) In general.--Of the funds made available to carry out
this section, the Secretary shall provide not fewer than 3
awards to eligible entities described in subsection (d)(1) for
the purposes of carrying out the activities under subsection
(e).
(2) Multiyear funding.--The Secretary is encouraged--
(A) to award funds under paragraph (1) in multiyear
funding allocations; and
(B) to require frequent reporting, as appropriate.
(3) Use of funds.--
(A) In general.--The funds awarded to an eligible
entity under paragraph (1) may be used--
(i) for program administration of an
initiative, including staff costs;
(ii) for research activities that--
(I) directly benefit meat
businesses;
(II) have been identified as
priorities by meat businesses; and
(III) require facilities,
resources, research, education, and
expertise provided by a funded entity
that--
(aa) are necessary for the
identified research priorities;
and
(bb) would otherwise not be
accessible to meat businesses;
and
(iii) for workshops or other informational
sessions that--
(I) directly benefit meat
businesses, processors and
entrepreneurs, and livestock farmers;
or
(II) enhance the capacity of
providers of technical assistance to
meat businesses and livestock
producers.
(B) Allocation.--Not less than 50 percent of the
funds awarded to an eligible entity under paragraph (1)
shall be allocated to directly benefit new meat
businesses or meat businesses that wish to update their
products or processes using a grant under subsection
(e)(2).
(4) Priority.--In providing direct assistance under
subsection (e)(1) and grants under subsection (e)(2), an
eligible entity shall give priority to--
(A) small- and medium-sized livestock farms and
meat businesses;
(B) employee-owned meat businesses;
(C) cooperatives;
(D) meat businesses that establish contracting
mechanisms that return profits to farmers who supply
their meat;
(E) meat businesses that, in addition to salary and
wage compensation, return profits to employees;
(F) meat businesses that seek to create meat
products that add substantial value in processing or
marketing, such as specialty meats;
(G) meat businesses or allied startup companies
that seek to address the increasing volume of otherwise
discarded byproducts from animal production waste
streams generated by the meat industry; and
(H) meat businesses that seek to reduce water
usage, carbon footprint, or improve overall
sustainability efforts.
(5) Requirement.--In the case of direct assistance under
subsection (e)(1) or a grant under subsection (e)(2) that is
provided to a specific meat business and does not benefit the
general public, as determined by the Secretary, the assistance
or grant shall exclusively be available to meat businesses
owned in the United States.
(6) Supplementation.--To the extent practicable, the
Secretary shall ensure that funds provided to an initiative
supplement, and do not duplicate or replace, existing meat
product research, development, and promotion activities.
(g) Matching Funding.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall encourage, but not
require, an eligible entity described in subsection (d)(1) to
provide matching funding to carry out this section.
(2) Additional funding.--After an initial term of funding
provided to an eligible entity described in subsection (d)(1),
the Secretary is encouraged to work with the eligible entity to
develop additional funding streams to supplement the Federal
investment, including from funds of a generic program to
promote and provide research and information for a specific
agricultural commodity, if the provision of funds is approved
by the members of the generic program.
(h) Reporting.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a
report describing the implementation of this section.
(2) Innovation reports.--The Secretary, in coordination
with the Chief Economist, shall publish an annual report on the
status of--
(A) innovation in meat products;
(B) product development under the program under
this section;
(C) growth areas for meat product development; and
(D) barriers inhibiting majority member-owned
domestic meat firms from--
(i) updating capacity;
(ii) performing competitively in the
marketplace; and
(iii) returning gains to members or
reinvesting the gains in ways that benefit the
long-term financial stability of the majority
member-owned domestic meat firm and the members
of that firm.
(i) Funding.--
(1) Mandatory funding.--Of the funds of the Commodity
Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall use to carry out this
section $30,000,000, to remain available until expended.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $30,000,000 for
each fiscal year.
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