American Protein Processing Modernization Act

Summary

Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to publish food-safety criteria and start reviewing requests from meat and poultry plants to operate at higher “alternate inspection rates” within 90 days of enactment. The agency must approve or deny each request within 90 days of submission (failure to respond counts as approval), allow plants already using alternate rates to continue while under review, and set rules for notices, remediation (180 days), and possible revocation with timelines to return to normal inspection rates. The text also defines key terms and clarifies that it does not create liability for worker safety or environmental impacts for USDA or FSIS.

• USDA must publish food-safety criteria for alternate inspection rates within 90 days of enactment.
• USDA must begin reviewing requests from meat and poultry establishments to use higher inspection rates within 90 days.
• USDA must approve or deny each request within 90 days of submission; nonresponse is treated as approval.
• Establishments already operating at alternate rates may continue while USDA reviews their requests or until USDA acts.
• A written noncompliance notice triggers a 180-day remediation period before USDA may revoke alternate-rate authority.
• USDA must include a timeline to revert to regular inspection rates in any revocation and work to minimize negative impacts on the establishment.
• The bill defines key terms and states it does not create USDA liability for worker safety or environmental effects.
• No new funding or appropriations are specified; the requirement imposes procedural deadlines on USDA/FSIS.