HEA 1267 Summary

• Board of animal health shall issue limited permits for meat and poultry slaughtering establishments exempt from federal inspection requirements if operations would qualify for exemption under federal Meat Inspection Act or Poultry Products Inspection Act.

• Establishes requirements for limited permit holders to produce poultry products for retail distribution, including food safety plans, hazard analysis, staff training in food safety principles, and compliance with 9 CFR Part 416 standards.

• Poultry products from exempt or limited permit establishments sold directly to consumers must be labeled with producer information, ingredients, net weight, processing date, and disclaimer that production area was not state-inspected; products sold at farmers markets or roadside stands must be frozen.

• Defines "game animal" as non-regulated animals (excluding aquatic animals and livestock) raised legally for food purposes, and excludes game animal meat from certain food establishment regulations.

• Authorizes state health department to conduct microbial testing at exempt and limited permit establishments at standards no more stringent than federally-inspected establishments; prohibits local governments from imposing additional licensing or inspection requirements on qualifying home food producers.