Testimony of Dr. Andrea Grondahl
State Meat Inspection Director
Senate Bill 2220
Agriculture Committee
Roosevelt Park Room
January 23, 2003

Chairman Flakoll and Committee members, for the record, my name is Dr. Andrea Grondahl. I am the state meat inspection director for the Department of Agriculture. I am here to testify in support of Senate Bill 2220.

The state meat inspection program was created by the 1999 Legislature in order to allow small and medium meat processors and livestock producers a better opportunity to market their product. When the state adopted an inspection program we had the option to include red meat, poultry or both. At the time, the demand for inspection service was strong for red meat products but did not seem to exist for poultry and was, therefore, not included in the program. However, this has changed in the last four years and there now is a demand for inspection service for poultry.

The state meat inspection program offers most of the advantages of federal inspection but is specially designed to help small businesses. The state program is able to assist smaller businesses more effectively and efficiently then the federal system which caters almost exclusively to large packing and processing plants. State inspectors are perceived as easier to work with because they help the companies meet and operate within the regulations. The North Dakota program was approved of by USDA and implemented in October, 2000. Within this time the program has been instrumental in the development of ten official state establishments or "state inspected" plants. This classification allows meat processors to wholesale local products throughout the state and provides more "user-friendly" outlets for producers to direct market their brand name products.

Senate bill 2220 creates additional opportunities for existing meat processors and provides new business opportunities. Out of our ten official establishments, three have already indicated the desire to process poultry products. I have included copies of their letters that request the state provide inspection for poultry. Poultry inspection service will also provide new businesses an opportunity to create new markets for state-inspected poultry products.

The addition of poultry to the inspection program will incur minimal costs. These amounts are included in the fiscal note for the bill. The costs include training staff on all relevant regulations and inspection techniques and the additional time and travel for inspection of three existing custom exempt poultry plants.

Mr. Chairman and committee members, I urge a do pass on Senate Bill 2220. If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them.

Thank you.