§ 22 §2517-C — Slaughter and inspection; producer exemptions for poultry

1.
Exemption for processing fewer than 1,000 birds annually.
Notwithstanding section 2512 and whether or not the poultry are intended for human consumption, inspection is not required for the slaughter of poultry or the preparation of poultry products as long as the poultry are slaughtered by the producer that raised the poultry and the poultry products are prepared on the farm where the poultry were raised and:
1-A.
Exemption for processing fewer than 20,000 birds annually.
A poultry producer may slaughter and process that producer's own poultry without an inspector being present during processing if all the following criteria are met; a producer that does not meet these criteria does not qualify for this exemption and shall seek state or United States Department of Agriculture inspection of poultry products intended to be sold:
1-B.
Small enterprise exemption.
A small enterprise may slaughter, dress and cut up poultry without an inspector being present during processing if all the following criteria are met; a small enterprise that does not meet these criteria does not qualify for the exemption and shall seek state or United States Department of Agriculture inspection of poultry products intended to be sold:
2.
Restrictions on point of sale.
Except as provided in subsections 1‑A and 1‑B, poultry products sold under this section may be sold only by the poultry producer and in the following locations or manner:
3.
Mobile poultry processing unit operators.
A mobile poultry processing unit operator may not sell poultry products that have not been inspected at a farmers' market, to a locally owned grocery store or to a locally owned restaurant unless the poultry products are labeled with:
4.
Rules.
The commissioner shall adopt rules to establish requirements for the physical facilities and sanitary processes used by poultry producers whose products are exempt from inspection under this section. Rules adopted under this subsection are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.
5.
Enforcement.
The commissioner shall enforce the provisions of this section.
6.
Violation; penalty.
A person who violates this section is subject to penalties under section 2524.

Legislative History

PL 2009, c. 354, §3 (NEW). PL 2013, c. 304, §§5-7 (AMD). PL 2013, c. 323, §5 (AMD). PL 2013, c. 567, §1 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 329, Pt. A, §10 (RPR). PL 2021, c. 64, §§22, 23 (AMD).