Raised Bill No. 197, introduced in the February Session, 2024, is aimed at enhancing the availability of butcher operations within the state. The bill directs the Commissioner of Agriculture to seek funding from the federal Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program. This funding is intended to enable butcher shops in the state to become approved processors for local farmers by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The bill also allows for the possibility of establishing a start-up cooperative, in partnership with the Connecticut Farm Bureau, to assist butcher shops in becoming USDA-approved meat processing facilities for local producers.

The bill is effective upon passage and creates a new section in the law. The purpose of the bill is to facilitate meat processing operations for farmers within the state, thereby potentially improving the local agricultural economy and ensuring that local farmers have access to necessary processing services. The bill does not include any deletions from the current law but adds new legal language to support its objectives.