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 federal funding from the 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 suggests the possibility of establishing a start-up cooperative, in partnership with the Connecticut Farm Bureau, to assist butcher shops in serving as USDA-approved meat processing facilities for local producers.

The bill is effective upon passage and creates a new section in the law, as indicated by the insertion. The purpose of the bill is to provide meat processing operations for farmers within the state, thereby potentially improving the local agricultural economy and the availability of locally processed meat. The bill does not include any deletions from the current law.