The Arkansas Meat Inspection Program provides inspection services to small and very small slaughter and processing establishments throughout the state. This is a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS), under which the state inspection program may inspect meat products produced for shipment within the state.

Under the cooperative agreement, the Arkansas Meat Inspection Program must develop, administer, and enforce requirements “at least equal to” those implemented under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA). Inspections for poultry facilities will still be administered by USDA-FSIS.

With the addition of Arkansas, 29 states now participate in the MPI program. FSIS provides up to 50% of the state's operating funds, as well as training and other assistance. In states with MPI programs, establishments have the option to apply for federal or state inspection, but product produced under state inspection is limited to intrastate commerce unless the producing establishment participates in the Cooperative Interstate Shipment program.

For Processing Facilities

Those interested in applying for the Arkansas Meat Inspection Program can do so here.

Requirements under the Arkansas State Meat Inspection Program align with that of the USDA. An overview of those requirements can be found here.

Read more about the USDA FSIS meat inspection program and its cooperative agreements with states here.

For questions, please contact the Arkansas Meat Inspection office at 479-619-9231.

Food Safety Resources

For those interested, the Arkansas Department of Health maintains a portal of resources on food safety here and information on foodborne illness here.