USDA Loosens Restrictions On Ohio Meat Producers

Ohio is the first state in the country where small, state-inspected meat producers can sell their products across state lines. Inter-state sales previously required federal inspections. USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan says the Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program will create new markets for Ohio farmers. Merrigan says the program was established in the 2008 Farm Bill. She says Ohio officially entered the program last night, so local products should start crossing state lines in the coming weeks.