1584                             Laws of Maryland                       Ch. 536

CHAPTER 536
(Senate Bill 36)

AN ACT to add new Sections 197-1 through 197-26, inclusive, to

Article 43 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1965 Replacement

Volume), title "Health," to follow immediately after Section 197

thereof, and to be under the new subtitle "Maryland Poultry

Products Inspection Act," to provide for mandatory inspection of

the slaughter of poultry and the processing of poultry and poultry

products solely for distribution in this State; for the regulation

of the distribution of poultry and poultry products within the

State of Maryland; for the regulation of related industries; for

cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture;

and for penalties for violations, detention, seizure and other

enforcement authorities; and matters generally related thereto.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,

That new Sections 197-1 through 197-26, inclusive, be and they are

hereby added to Article 43 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1965

Replacement Volume), title "Health," to follow immediately after

Section 197 thereof, and to be under the new subtitle "Maryland

Poultry Products Inspection Act," and all to read as follows:

Maryland Poultry Products Inspection Act
197-1.

This subtitle shall be designated as the Maryland Poultry Products
Inspection Act.

197-2.

Poultry and poultry products are an important source of the Na-
tion's total supply of food. It is in the public interest that the
health and welfare of consumers be protected by assuring that slaugh-
tered poultry and poultry products distributed to them are wholesome,
not adulterated, and properly marked, labeled, and packaged. Un-
wholesome, adulterated, or misbranded poultry or poultry products
are injurious to the public welfare, destroy markets for wholesome,
not adulterated, and properly labeled and packaged poultry and poul-
try products, and result in sundry losses to poultry producers and
processors of poultry and poultry products, as well as injury to
consumers. The unwholesome, adulterated, mislabeled, or deceptively
packaged articles can be sold at lower prices and compete unfairly
with the wholesome, not adulterated, and properly labeled and pack-
aged articles, to the detriment of consumers and the public generally.
Regulation by the Maryland State Board of Agriculture and coopera-
tion by this State and the United States as provided by this Act
are appropriate to protect the health and welfare of consumers.
197-3.

It is the policy of the State to provide for the inspection of poultry
and poultry products and otherwise regulate the processing and dis-
tribution of such articles as are hereinafter prescribed to prevent
the movement or sale in intrastate commerce of poultry and poultry
products which are adulterated or misbranded. When poultry and
poultry products are condemned because of disease, the reason for
condemnation in such instances shall be supported by scientific fact,
information, or criteria, and such condemnation under this Act shall
be achieved through uniform inspection standards and uniform ap-
plication thereof.
197-4.

For purposes of this subtitle, the following terms shall have the
meanings stated below: