Slaughterhouses that sell quail and other game birds out of state may have to pay to have their meat inspected.
Game birds are not required to be inspected under federal law but some states, such as California, require the meat to be inspected before it crosses their border.
Agriculture Secretary Steve Kerr says he hopes Vermont will be able cover the cost of meat inspections. But he says $44,000 is being cut from the federal money the state receives over the next few months.
The Legislature’s agriculture committees are preparing to add $110,000 dollars in state money to cover meat inspections. But the money is not enough to cover the federal cuts and the quail inspections.