Kansas Senator Roger Marshall along with Vermont Senator Peter Welch are introducing legislation to allow beef producers to sell across state lines.

The Direct Interstate Retail Exemption for Certain Transactions Act would allow small processors to access more consumers. Meat and poultry currently cannot be sold across state lines unless it's processed at a USDA-inspected facility. Many direct-to-consumer marketing options including e-commerce have increased in popularity in recent years. The act would ensure a paper trail for tracing any food safety issues.