Governor Kristi Noem announced that certain South Dakota state-inspected meat processors will have the opportunity to ship their meat across state lines. South Dakota and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) have entered a Cooperative Interstate Shipping (CIS) agreement, which opens these new market opportunities for South Dakota producers.

“Our food supply is a matter of national security, so we need to increase diversity in the supply chain to offer more options to Americans,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “For too long, meat producers have been shortchanged due to anticompetitive practices in the meatpacking industry. These new opportunities will expand their options and allow them to ship South Dakota meat across state lines.”

Under CIS, state-inspected facilities can operate as federally inspected facilities, under specific conditions, and ship products across state lines. Without CIS, a state-inspected facility is limited to sales within its own borders. Processors interested in the CIS program should contact the Animal Industry Board at 605.773.3321 or visit https://aib.sd.gov/.

“The Animal Industry Broad is excited to help bring CIS to South Dakota,” said State Veterinarian Dusty Oedekoven. “Our meat processors and producers need options, and CIS gives them another pathway for getting South Dakota products to market.”

In addition to South Dakota, there are 8 states currently participating in CIS – Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Vermont, and Wisconsin.