The Center for Rural Affairs is encouraging the Iowa House to put into motion a bill that would help support small meat processors.
House Study Bill 675 would adopt and implement the recommendations of the Artisanal Butchery Task Force, which was formed as a result of legislation approved during last year?s legislative session. Johnathan Hladik, policy director with the Center for Rural Affairs, says the task force is recommending the state establish a framework that would help small meat processors find skilled workers.
Hladik says House Study Bill 675 would also develop a library of resources for Iowa-based meat processing businesses, providing them with valuable information that would lighten the burden of analyzing options on their own.
As part of the bill, the department of agriculture would be required to review all administrative rules related to labeling of meat products processed at state-inspected and federally inspected small-scale facilities.
