New Mexico hasn’t had a state meat inspection program since 2007, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture took it over due to “repetitive noncompliance with federal standards,” according to a 2021 legislative report. After federal inspections got backlogged during the pandemic, state lawmakers began efforts to reinstate New Mexico’s program. Proposals to make that happen have failed to clear both chambers of the Legislature four years in a row now, but this year’s bill still has a chance of reaching the governor’s desk.
Not having a state program means New Mexico ranchers rely on the USDA to conduct the food safety inspections necessary to sell their meat commercially. There are 38 USDA-inspected meat processors in the state, and only seven slaughterhouses, according to an agency directory. That leads many to send their meat out of state for processing.
Co-sponsor Sen. Pat Woods told a legislative committee Thursday that the Senate Judiciary Committee substitute for Senate Bill 37 would “shorten the distance between the consumer and producer” by allowing the New Mexico Livestock Board to conduct inspections.
“We’re hoping to attract more processing plants in the state,” he said. “So that you will be able to go into a restaurant and see New Mexico beef on the plate, New Mexico beef in the grocery store.”
The board would need to be certified by the USDA and its inspections would have to meet requirements "at least equal to" the federal standards. Livestock Board Executive Director Belinda Garland told the panel of lawmakers that the board believes it will get approval.
“Of course, we will never get the final say until we submit that packet to them,” she said. “But we are excited for this opportunity.”
Meat inspected by the state program would only be allowed to be sold within New Mexico. Garland said standing up an intrastate program alone is a two to four-year process.
“Then, once you build your training up, and your inspectors are at a level that they feel that they can do interstate sales, then you can move into that type of agreement,” she said. She added that the inspection requirements would also become more rigorous.
Once certified, New Mexico could see up to half of program costs reimbursed by the federal government. A legislative analysis estimated that could bring $522,800 of new revenue into the state. Garland said that would be just the beginning.
“There’s an opportunity for a lot of economic growth with this bill from the producers all the way up through retail,” she told lawmakers.
The bill passed unanimously through the Senate earlier this week and the House Agriculture, Acequias and Water Resources Committee Thursday. It now heads to the House floor, which would be its last stop in the Roundhouse.
