US HB5038

Secretary of Agriculture must publish food safety criteria in the Federal Register within 90 days for reviewing meat and poultry establishment requests to operate at alternate (faster) inspection rates exceeding current regulatory maximums

Requests for alternate inspection rates must be approved or denied within 90 days; failure to respond results in automatic approval; denials must include detailed written explanations

Establishments already operating at alternate inspection rates may continue doing so while maintaining effective process control or until their formal request is processed

Noncompliance triggers written notice and a 180-day remediation period; if not corrected, the Secretary may revoke alternate inspection authority with a transition timeline that considers impacts on animal producers and existing contracts

USDA and Food Safety and Inspection Service are not liable for worker safety or environmental effects related to alternate inspection rates