Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig toured Pella’s famous meat markets Friday as part of an announcement as it relates to regulations for small meat production operations. Naig made stops at both Int Velds and Ulrich’s to see not only the front end of their sales service, but production of Pella Bologna and other local products served at both stores. Naig announced during his visit the department has applied for a Cooperative Interstate Shipment agreement with the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. The program will allow participating state-inspected meat and poultry processors to distribute their products across state lines.

“We are pursuing an agreement with the USDA as part of our continued commitment to expanding markets for Iowa products,” said Secretary Naig. “This program can open new markets for Iowa livestock producers and meat processors, and give more consumers the opportunity to choose Iowa meat products.”

State-inspected meat processors are smaller than their federally-inspected counterparts but are held to equal standards, Naig said. Iowa’s small meat processors generate $1.5 million in total economic output, $596,000 in labor income and about 15 jobs for every $1 million in sales, according to a study by David Swenson at the Iowa State University Department of Economics.

To qualify for the CIS program, a meat processor must have fewer than 25 full-time employees and comply with all federal food safety, sanitation and facility regulations.