Small meat processors across Georgia will soon have access to customers across the country following a new agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

On July 27, the two agencies finalized a Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) agreement, allowing 23 eligible Georgia meat processing facilities operating under state inspection to sell and ship their products nationwide for the first time under the USDA mark of inspection.

For nearly 60 years, Georgia’s state-inspected meat processors have been limited to selling products only within the state’s borders. The new agreement removes that restriction while maintaining strict food safety standards.

Georgia becomes the 11th state to participate in the Cooperative Interstate Shipment program, joining Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin.

According to the USDA, participating facilities must meet food safety and inspection standards that are equivalent to those required at federally inspected plants. The program will continue to include oversight from both the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said the agreement will help family-owned meat processors compete in a marketplace where much of the nation’s meat processing capacity is controlled by a small number of large companies.

State officials say the expanded market access could create new opportunities for Georgia livestock producers, local processors, and rural communities by allowing small businesses to reach customers well beyond the state’s borders.