Iowa meat processor approved I

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig recently announced that Story City Locker, LLC, is the first Iowa meat processing facility to be admitted into the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety Inspection Service Cooperative Interstate Shipment program. Under the CIS program, smaller, state-inspected facilities can remain under state inspection but are allowed to apply a federal-style mark of inspection and sell products across state lines.

Members of the Iowa Meat Processors Association approached the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship in 2019 about implementing the CIS program to help small meat processing facilities, like Story City Locker, grow their businesses. The program also helps producers get their products stocked on regional grocery store shelves.

The department worked with the Iowa Meat Processors Association and USDA FSIS for almost a year to ensure the state met all the CIS program requirements. The department made administrative rule changes, invested in new equipment and provided additional training for its Meat and Poultry Bureau inspectors to ensure Iowa producers had the opportunity to expand into new markets.