New Mexico has joined the State Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) programme, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on 18 September 2026, after the department and the New Mexico Livestock Board finalised their agreement. New Mexico becomes the 31st state with an approved State MPI programme.

USDA said the state's participation expands local inspection capacity, strengthens food-safety oversight and widens market access for small and very small meat and poultry processors, while national standards remain in place. The department's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will work with the New Mexico Livestock Board and local stakeholders on implementation, ongoing compliance and, in USDA's words, "continued trust in federal food safety standards."

Money for state programmes has been rising. In fiscal year 2025 Congress allocated $67.6 million to USDA to support state inspection programmes, and the FY 2026 budget added a further $15 million above that level to build inspection capacity and technical assistance for State MPI partners.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins tied the move to an executive order signed by President Trump. "New Mexico is opening up markets for their cattle ranchers," she said, adding that the approval "reflects our commitment to empowering small and very small processors, supporting local producers, and increasing resilience in the supply chain while protecting consumers with safe, wholesome, and properly labeled food."

For ranchers, the significance lies in the processing bottleneck. Independent processors are the route to market for producers who sell locally or under their own label, and USDA describes state inspection as a benefit to those processors nationwide. The department framed the New Mexico agreement as part of a broader effort to reinforce the resilience of the livestock sector, support rural economies and keep consumers supplied with safe food produced under science-based inspection.

Details of the state inspection programmes are published by FSIS at www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/state-inspection-programs.

Source: USDA