An Act To Allow a Person Who Owns a Slaughterhouse To Slaughter Poultry for Other People
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, there are a limited number of meat and poultry processing facilities operating in Maine; and
Whereas, poultry producers on small farms that process under 1,000 birds annually may not have facilities that are adequate for the efficient processing of the birds they raise; and
Whereas, owners and operators of slaughterhouses licensed under Maine law have the facilities and skills to efficiently process poultry raised on small farms; and
Whereas, rental income from processing poultry raised on small farms may provide additional income to owners of slaughterhouses licensed under Maine law; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §2517-D is enacted to read:
§ 2517-D. Rental of a licensed slaughterhouse
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.
summary
This bill allows a licensed slaughterhouse to contract with certain poultry producers for the rental of the slaughterhouse for the purposes of slaughtering poultry. The bill requires the renting producer's poultry to be slaughtered by the owner or operator of the slaughterhouse. It prohibits the poultry slaughtered and processed under the rental contract from being sold or transported for interstate commerce. The bill also requires certain information to be printed on labels of the poultry products produced for the renting producer. It also authorizes the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to adopt rules governing fees charged by licensed slaughterhouses for the rental of their facilities.