1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to agriculture; providing for uniformity in 
  1.3             meat and poultry inspection; amending Minnesota 
  1.4             Statutes 1998, sections 31.632; 31.633, subdivision 1; 
  1.5             31.651; 31A.02, subdivisions 5, 6, 10, 13, and 14; 
  1.6             31A.03; 31A.05; 31A.06; 31A.07, subdivisions 1 and 2; 
  1.7             31A.08; 31A.10; 31A.13; 31A.16; and 31A.17; Minnesota 
  1.8             Statutes 1999 Supplement, sections 31A.01; and 31A.15, 
  1.9             subdivision 1. 
  1.10  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.11     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31.632, is 
  1.12  amended to read: 
  1.13     31.632 [MINNESOTA APPROVED MEATS; USE OF LABEL.] 
  1.14     The commissioner may authorize, pursuant to rules 
  1.15  promulgated in the manner provided by law, the use of the label 
  1.16  "Minnesota Approved" on meats and, meat products, poultry, and 
  1.17  poultry products processed by persons licensed under sections 
  1.18  31.51 to 31.58, or by establishments under the inspection 
  1.19  program of the United States Department of Agriculture, if the 
  1.20  ingredients of such the poultry, poultry products, meats, and 
  1.21  meat products are meat, meat by-products, poultry, poultry 
  1.22  products, or meat food products which have been inspected and 
  1.23  passed by the United States Department of Agriculture, or the 
  1.24  Minnesota department of agriculture and further if such the 
  1.25  poultry, poultry products, meats, and meat products, after such 
  1.26  processing, are sound, healthful, wholesome, and fit for human 
  1.27  food.  A person or establishment desiring to label poultry, 
  2.1   poultry products, meats, and meat products as provided in this 
  2.2   section shall apply to the commissioner for authority to do so.  
  2.3   The commissioner shall grant this authority to the applicant if 
  2.4   the applicant complies with the provisions of this section and 
  2.5   rules promulgated pursuant to this section.  A person using the 
  2.6   label "Minnesota Approved" on poultry, poultry products, meat 
  2.7   and, or meat products contrary to law is guilty of a misdemeanor.
  2.8      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31.633, 
  2.9   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  2.10     Subdivision 1.  [MENU REQUIREMENT.] Any restaurant, eating 
  2.11  place, or other establishment serving meat or poultry in any 
  2.12  form to the public, which meat that has any filler or meat or 
  2.13  poultry substitute added to it or incorporated in it, shall 
  2.14  clearly and prominently indicate on its menu or bill of fare the 
  2.15  meat entrees that contain filler or meat or poultry substitutes. 
  2.16     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31.651, is 
  2.17  amended to read: 
  2.18     31.651 [KOSHER PRODUCTS, UNLAWFUL SALE.] 
  2.19     Subdivision 1.  [KOSHER REQUIREMENTS.] No person shall sell 
  2.20  or expose for sale any poultry, poultry products, meat, or meat 
  2.21  preparations and falsely represent the same to be kosher, 
  2.22  whether such poultry, poultry products, meat, or meat 
  2.23  preparations be raw or prepared for human consumption; nor shall 
  2.24  the person permit any such products or the contents of any 
  2.25  package or container to be labeled or to have inscribed thereon 
  2.26  the word "kosher" in any language unless such products shall 
  2.27  have been prepared or processed in accordance with orthodox 
  2.28  Hebrew religious requirements sanctioned by a recognized 
  2.29  rabbinical council.  
  2.30     Subd. 2.  [NOTICE REQUIRED.] Any person who sells or 
  2.31  exposes for sale in the same place of business both kosher and 
  2.32  nonkosher poultry, meat, or meat preparations, either raw or 
  2.33  prepared for human consumption, shall indicate on window signs 
  2.34  and all display advertising, in block letters at least four 
  2.35  inches in height, "kosher and nonkosher meat and poultry sold 
  2.36  here"; and shall display over each kind of poultry, meat, or 
  3.1   meat preparation so exposed a sign, in block letters at least 
  3.2   two inches in height, reading, "kosher meat," or "kosher 
  3.3   poultry," "nonkosher meat," or "nonkosher poultry," as the case 
  3.4   may be; provided that subdivision 2 shall not apply to persons 
  3.5   selling or offering for sale kosher poultry, poultry products, 
  3.6   meats, or meat products solely in separate consumer packages, 
  3.7   which have been prepackaged and properly labeled "kosher."  
  3.8      Subd. 3.  [PRESUMPTION.] Possession of nonkosher poultry, 
  3.9   poultry products, meat, or meat preparations in any place of 
  3.10  business shall be presumptive evidence that the person in 
  3.11  possession thereof exposes the same for sale.  
  3.12     Subd. 4.  [PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE.] The absence of a duly 
  3.13  sanctioned kosher "plumba," mark, stamp, tag, brand, or label 
  3.14  from any poultry, poultry products, meat, meat preparation, or 
  3.15  food product shall be prima facie evidence that such product is 
  3.16  nonkosher.  
  3.17     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1999 Supplement, section 
  3.18  31A.01, is amended to read: 
  3.19     31A.01 [POLICY.] 
  3.20     Meat, poultry, poultry food products, and meat food 
  3.21  products are an important source of the nation's total supply of 
  3.22  food.  It is essential in the public interest that the health 
  3.23  and welfare of consumers be protected by assuring that meat, 
  3.24  poultry, and meat food products distributed to them are 
  3.25  wholesome, unadulterated, and properly marked, labeled, and 
  3.26  packaged.  Unwholesome, adulterated, or misbranded meat, 
  3.27  poultry, poultry food products, or meat food products injure the 
  3.28  public welfare, destroy markets for wholesome, unadulterated, 
  3.29  and properly labeled and packaged meat, poultry, poultry food 
  3.30  products, and meat food products, and result in losses to 
  3.31  livestock producers and processors of meat, poultry, poultry 
  3.32  food products, and meat food products and injury to consumers.  
  3.33  Unwholesome, adulterated, mislabeled, or deceptively packaged 
  3.34  articles can be sold at lower prices and compete unfairly with 
  3.35  wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled and packaged 
  3.36  articles, to the detriment of consumers and the general public.  
  4.1      Regulation by the commissioner and cooperation between this 
  4.2   state and the United States under this chapter are appropriate 
  4.3   to protect the health and welfare of consumers and accomplish 
  4.4   the purposes of this chapter.  
  4.5      Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31A.02, 
  4.6   subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
  4.7      Subd. 5.  [CUSTOM PROCESSING.] "Custom processing" means 
  4.8   slaughtering, eviscerating, dressing, or processing an animal or 
  4.9   processing meat products or poultry products for the owner of 
  4.10  the animal or of the meat products and poultry products, if all 
  4.11  meat products or poultry products derived from the custom 
  4.12  operation are returned to the owner of the animal or of the meat 
  4.13  products or poultry products.  No person may sell, offer for 
  4.14  sale, or possess with intent to sell meat derived from custom 
  4.15  processing. 
  4.16     Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31A.02, 
  4.17  subdivision 6, is amended to read: 
  4.18     Subd. 6.  [MEAT BROKER.] "Meat broker" means a person in 
  4.19  the business of buying or selling carcasses, parts of carcasses, 
  4.20  meat, or meat food products, poultry, or poultry products of 
  4.21  animals on commission, or otherwise negotiating purchases or 
  4.22  sales of those articles other than for the person's own account 
  4.23  or as an employee of another person, firm, or corporation.  
  4.24     Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31A.02, 
  4.25  subdivision 10, is amended to read: 
  4.26     Subd. 10.  [MEAT FOOD PRODUCT; POULTRY FOOD PRODUCT.] "Meat 
  4.27  food product" or "poultry food product" means a product usable 
  4.28  as human food and made wholly or in part from meat or poultry or 
  4.29  a portion of the carcass of cattle, sheep, swine, poultry, 
  4.30  farmed cervidae, as defined in section 17.451, subdivision 2, 
  4.31  llamas, as defined in section 17.455, subdivision 2, ratitae, as 
  4.32  defined in section 17.453, subdivision 3, or goats.  "Meat food 
  4.33  product" or "poultry food product" does not include products 
  4.34  which contain meat, poultry, or other portions of the carcasses 
  4.35  of cattle, sheep, swine, farmed cervidae, llamas, ratitae, or 
  4.36  goats only in a relatively small proportion or that historically 
  5.1   have not been considered by consumers as products of the meat 
  5.2   food industry, and which are exempted from definition as a meat 
  5.3   food product or poultry food product by the commissioner under 
  5.4   the conditions the commissioner prescribes to assure that the 
  5.5   meat or other portions of carcasses contained in the products 
  5.6   are not adulterated and that the products are not represented as 
  5.7   meat food products or poultry food products.  
  5.8      "Meat food product," as applied to products of equines, has 
  5.9   a meaning comparable to that for cattle, sheep, swine, farmed 
  5.10  cervidae, llamas, ratitae, and goats. 
  5.11     Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31A.02, 
  5.12  subdivision 13, is amended to read: 
  5.13     Subd. 13.  [ADULTERATED.] "Adulterated" means a carcass, 
  5.14  part of a carcass, meat, poultry, poultry food product, or meat 
  5.15  food product under one or more of the following circumstances: 
  5.16     (a) if it bears or contains a poisonous or harmful 
  5.17  substance which may render it injurious to health; but if the 
  5.18  substance is not an added substance, the article is not 
  5.19  adulterated if the quantity of the substance in or on the 
  5.20  article does not ordinarily make it injurious to health; 
  5.21     (b) if it bears or contains, by administration of a 
  5.22  substance to the live animal or otherwise, an added poisonous or 
  5.23  harmful substance, other than (1) a pesticide chemical in or on 
  5.24  a raw agricultural commodity; (2) a food additive; or (3) a 
  5.25  color additive, which may, in the judgment of the commissioner, 
  5.26  make the article unfit for human food; 
  5.27     (c) if it is, in whole or in part, a raw agricultural 
  5.28  commodity that bears or contains a pesticide chemical which is 
  5.29  unsafe within the meaning of section 408 of the Federal Food, 
  5.30  Drug, and Cosmetic Act; 
  5.31     (d) if it bears or contains a food additive which is unsafe 
  5.32  within the meaning of section 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and 
  5.33  Cosmetic Act; 
  5.34     (e) if it bears or contains a color additive which is 
  5.35  unsafe within the meaning of section 706 of the Federal Food, 
  5.36  Drug, and Cosmetic Act; 
  6.1      (f) if it contains a filthy, putrid, or decomposed 
  6.2   substance or is for any other reason unfit for human food; 
  6.3      (g) if it has been prepared, packed, or held under 
  6.4   unsanitary conditions so that it may be contaminated with filth 
  6.5   or harmful to health; 
  6.6      (h) if it is wholly or partly the product of an animal 
  6.7   which has died otherwise than by slaughter; 
  6.8      (i) if its container is wholly or partly composed of a 
  6.9   poisonous or harmful substance which may make the contents 
  6.10  harmful to health; 
  6.11     (j) if it has been intentionally subjected to radiation, 
  6.12  unless the use of the radiation conformed with a regulation or 
  6.13  exemption in effect under section 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, 
  6.14  and Cosmetic Act; 
  6.15     (k) if a valuable constituent has been wholly or partly 
  6.16  omitted or removed from it; if a substance has been wholly or 
  6.17  partly substituted for it; if damage or inferiority has been 
  6.18  concealed; or if a substance has been added to it or mixed or 
  6.19  packed with it so as to increase its bulk or weight, reduce its 
  6.20  quality or strength, or make it appear better or of greater 
  6.21  value than it is; or 
  6.22     (l) if it is margarine containing animal fat and any of the 
  6.23  raw material used in it wholly or partly consisted of a filthy, 
  6.24  putrid, or decomposed substance.  
  6.25     Sec. 9.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31A.02, 
  6.26  subdivision 14, is amended to read: 
  6.27     Subd. 14.  [MISBRANDED.] "Misbranded" means a carcass, part 
  6.28  of a carcass, meat, poultry, poultry food product, or meat food 
  6.29  product under one or more of the following circumstances: 
  6.30     (a) if its labeling is false or misleading; 
  6.31     (b) if it is offered for sale under the name of another 
  6.32  food; 
  6.33     (c) if it is an imitation of another food, unless its label 
  6.34  bears, in type of uniform size and prominence, the word 
  6.35  "imitation" followed immediately by the name of the food 
  6.36  imitated; 
  7.1      (d) if its container is made, formed, or filled so as to be 
  7.2   misleading; 
  7.3      (e) if its package or other container does not have a label 
  7.4   showing (1) the name and place of business of the manufacturer, 
  7.5   packer, or distributor; and (2) an accurate statement of the 
  7.6   quantity of the contents in terms of weight, measure, or 
  7.7   numerical count subject to reasonable variations permitted and 
  7.8   exemptions for small packages established in rules of the 
  7.9   commissioner; 
  7.10     (f) if a word, statement, or other information required by 
  7.11  or under authority of this chapter to appear on the label or 
  7.12  other labeling is not prominently and conspicuously placed on 
  7.13  the label or labeling in terms that make it likely to be read 
  7.14  and understood by the ordinary individual under customary 
  7.15  conditions of purchase and use; 
  7.16     (g) if it is represented as a food for which a definition 
  7.17  and standard of identity or composition has been prescribed by 
  7.18  rules of the commissioner under section 31A.07, unless (1) it 
  7.19  conforms to the definition and standard, and (2) its label bears 
  7.20  the name of the food specified in the definition and standard 
  7.21  and, if required by the rules, the common names of optional 
  7.22  ingredients, other than spices, flavoring, and coloring, present 
  7.23  in the food; 
  7.24     (h) if it is represented as a food for which a standard of 
  7.25  fill of container has been prescribed by rules of the 
  7.26  commissioner under section 31A.07, and it falls below the 
  7.27  applicable standard of fill of container, unless its label 
  7.28  bears, in the manner and form the rules specify, a statement 
  7.29  that it falls below the standard; 
  7.30     (i) if it is not subject to paragraph (g), unless its label 
  7.31  bears (1) the usual name of the food, if there is one, and (2) 
  7.32  in case it is fabricated from two or more ingredients, the 
  7.33  common or usual name of each ingredient; except that spices, 
  7.34  flavorings, and colorings may, when authorized by the 
  7.35  commissioner, be designated as spices, flavorings, and colorings 
  7.36  without naming each.  To the extent that compliance with clause 
  8.1   (2) is impracticable, or results in deception or unfair 
  8.2   competition, the commissioner shall establish exemptions by 
  8.3   rule; 
  8.4      (j) if it purports to be or is represented for special 
  8.5   dietary uses, unless its label bears the information concerning 
  8.6   its vitamin, mineral, and other dietary properties that the 
  8.7   commissioner, after consultation with the Secretary of 
  8.8   Agriculture of the United States, determines by rule to be 
  8.9   necessary to inform purchasers of its value for special dietary 
  8.10  uses; 
  8.11     (k) if it bears or contains any artificial flavoring, 
  8.12  artificial coloring, or chemical preservative, unless it bears 
  8.13  labeling stating that fact; 
  8.14     (l) if it fails to bear, directly or on its container, as 
  8.15  the commissioner by rule prescribes, the inspection legend and 
  8.16  other information the commissioner may require by rule to assure 
  8.17  that it will not have false or misleading labeling and that the 
  8.18  public will be told how to keep the article wholesome.  
  8.19     Sec. 10.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31A.03, is 
  8.20  amended to read: 
  8.21     31A.03 [INSPECTION OF LIVE ANIMALS; DISPOSITION OF 
  8.22  DEFECTIVE ANIMALS.] 
  8.23     To prevent the use in intrastate commerce of adulterated 
  8.24  meat and, meat food products, poultry, and poultry food 
  8.25  products, the commissioner shall appoint inspectors and have 
  8.26  them examine and inspect all animals before the animals enter a 
  8.27  slaughtering, packing, meat canning, rendering, or similar 
  8.28  establishment in this state in which slaughtering of animals and 
  8.29  preparation of meat and, meat food products, poultry, and 
  8.30  poultry food products are conducted solely for intrastate 
  8.31  commerce.  Animals found on inspection to show symptoms of 
  8.32  disease must be set apart and slaughtered separately from other 
  8.33  animals.  The carcasses of those animals must be carefully 
  8.34  examined and inspected under rules of the commissioner.  
  8.35     Sec. 11.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31A.05, is 
  8.36  amended to read: 
  9.1      31A.05 [APPLICATION OF INSPECTION PROVISIONS.] 
  9.2      Sections 31A.03 and 31A.04 apply to carcasses or parts of 
  9.3   animals, poultry, or poultry food products, and meat or meat 
  9.4   products derived from them that are usable as human food, when 
  9.5   these items are brought into a slaughtering, meat canning, 
  9.6   salting, packing, rendering, or similar establishment, where 
  9.7   inspection under sections 31A.01 to 31A.16 is done.  Examination 
  9.8   and inspection must be made before the carcasses or animal parts 
  9.9   may enter into a department where they are to be treated and 
  9.10  prepared for meat food products or poultry food products. 
  9.11     Sections 31A.03 and 31A.04 also apply to products which, 
  9.12  after having been issued from a slaughtering, meat canning, 
  9.13  salting, packing, rendering, or similar establishment, must be 
  9.14  returned to it or to a similar establishment where inspection is 
  9.15  done. 
  9.16     The commissioner may limit the entry of carcasses, parts of 
  9.17  carcasses, poultry, poultry food products, meat and, meat food 
  9.18  products, and other materials into an establishment where 
  9.19  inspection under sections 31A.01 to 31A.16 is done to conditions 
  9.20  the commissioner prescribes to assure that allowing the entry of 
  9.21  articles into inspected establishments is consistent with the 
  9.22  purposes of this chapter.  
  9.23     Sec. 12.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31A.06, is 
  9.24  amended to read: 
  9.25     31A.06 [INSPECTORS' DUTIES.] 
  9.26     The commissioner shall appoint inspectors to examine and 
  9.27  inspect poultry food products and meat food products prepared in 
  9.28  a slaughtering, meat canning, salting, packing, rendering, or 
  9.29  similar establishment, where the articles are prepared solely 
  9.30  for intrastate commerce.  For examination and inspection 
  9.31  purposes, the inspectors must be given access at all times, 
  9.32  whether the establishment is operated or not, to every part of 
  9.33  the establishment.  The inspectors shall mark, stamp, tag, or 
  9.34  label as "Minnesota Inspected and Passed" all products found to 
  9.35  be unadulterated, and the inspectors shall label, mark, stamp, 
  9.36  or tag as "Minnesota Inspected and Condemned" all products found 
 10.1   to be adulterated.  Condemned meat food products or poultry food 
 10.2   products must be destroyed for food purposes under section 
 10.3   31A.04.  The commissioner may remove inspectors from an 
 10.4   establishment which fails to destroy condemned poultry food 
 10.5   products or meat food products.  
 10.6      Sec. 13.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31A.07, 
 10.7   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 10.8      Subdivision 1.  [LABELING; PACKING.] When poultry, poultry 
 10.9   food products, meat, or a meat food product products prepared 
 10.10  for intrastate commerce which has have been inspected and marked 
 10.11  "Minnesota Inspected and Passed" is placed or packed in a can, 
 10.12  pot, tin, canvas, or other receptacle or covering in an 
 10.13  establishment where inspection is done under sections 31A.01 to 
 10.14  31A.31, the person, firm, or corporation preparing the product 
 10.15  shall have a label attached to the can, pot, tin, canvas, or 
 10.16  other receptacle or covering, under supervision of an 
 10.17  inspector.  The label must state that the contents have been 
 10.18  "Minnesota Inspected and Passed" under sections 31A.01 to 
 10.19  31A.31.  An inspection or examination of poultry, poultry food 
 10.20  products, meat, or meat food products deposited or enclosed in 
 10.21  cans, tins, pots, canvas, or other receptacles or coverings in 
 10.22  an establishment where inspection is done under this chapter is 
 10.23  not complete until the poultry, poultry food products, meat, or 
 10.24  meat food products have been sealed or enclosed in the can, tin, 
 10.25  pot, canvas, or other receptacle or covering under the 
 10.26  supervision of an inspector.  
 10.27     Sec. 14.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31A.07, 
 10.28  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 10.29     Subd. 2.  [LABELS; MARKS.] All carcasses, parts of 
 10.30  carcasses, poultry, poultry food products, meat, and meat food 
 10.31  products inspected at an establishment under this chapter and 
 10.32  found not to be adulterated, must when they leave the 
 10.33  establishment bear, directly or on their containers, legible 
 10.34  labels or official marks as required by the commissioner.  
 10.35     Sec. 15.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31A.08, is 
 10.36  amended to read: 
 11.1      31A.08 [RULES.] 
 11.2      The commissioner shall have experts in sanitation or other 
 11.3   competent inspectors inspect all slaughtering, meat canning, 
 11.4   salting, packing, rendering, or similar establishments in which 
 11.5   animals are slaughtered and their poultry, poultry food 
 11.6   products, meat, and meat food products are prepared solely for 
 11.7   intrastate commerce.  The inspections must be conducted as 
 11.8   necessary for the commissioner to know the sanitary conditions 
 11.9   of the establishments, and to prescribe the rules of sanitation 
 11.10  under which the establishments must be maintained.  If an 
 11.11  establishment has sanitary conditions that allow poultry, 
 11.12  poultry food products, meat, or meat food products to become 
 11.13  adulterated, the commissioner shall refuse to allow the poultry, 
 11.14  poultry food products, meat, or meat food products to be 
 11.15  labeled, marked, stamped, or tagged as "Minnesota Inspected and 
 11.16  Passed."  
 11.17     Sec. 16.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31A.10, is 
 11.18  amended to read: 
 11.19     31A.10 [PROHIBITIONS.] 
 11.20     No person may, with respect to an animal, carcass, part of 
 11.21  a carcass, poultry, poultry food product, meat, or meat food 
 11.22  product: 
 11.23     (1) slaughter an animal or prepare an article that is 
 11.24  usable as human food, at any establishment preparing articles 
 11.25  solely for intrastate commerce, except in compliance with this 
 11.26  chapter; 
 11.27     (2) sell, transport, offer for sale or transportation, or 
 11.28  receive for transportation, in intrastate commerce (i) articles 
 11.29  which are usable as human food and are adulterated or misbranded 
 11.30  at the time of sale, transportation, offer for sale or 
 11.31  transportation, or receipt for transportation; or (ii) articles 
 11.32  required to be inspected under sections 31A.01 to 31A.16 that 
 11.33  have not been inspected and passed; 
 11.34     (3) do something to an article that is usable as human food 
 11.35  while the article is being transported in intrastate commerce or 
 11.36  held for sale after transportation, which is intended to cause 
 12.1   or has the effect of causing the article to be adulterated or 
 12.2   misbranded; or 
 12.3      (4) sell, offer for sale, or possess with intent to sell 
 12.4   meat derived from custom processing.  
 12.5      Sec. 17.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31A.13, is 
 12.6   amended to read: 
 12.7      31A.13 [INSPECTORS.] 
 12.8      The commissioner shall appoint inspectors to inspect 
 12.9   animals, whole or parts of carcasses, poultry, poultry food 
 12.10  products, meat, and meat food products the inspection of which 
 12.11  is provided for by law, and the sanitary conditions of all 
 12.12  establishments in which the poultry, poultry food products, 
 12.13  meat, and meat food products are prepared.  Inspectors shall 
 12.14  refuse to stamp, mark, tag, or label a whole or part of a 
 12.15  carcass or a meat food product derived from it, prepared in an 
 12.16  establishment covered by sections 31A.01 to 31A.12, until it has 
 12.17  actually been inspected and found to be not adulterated.  
 12.18  Inspectors shall perform other duties required by this chapter 
 12.19  or by rules adopted by the commissioner that are necessary for 
 12.20  the efficient execution of this chapter.  Inspections under this 
 12.21  chapter must conform to the rules adopted by the commissioner 
 12.22  consistent with this chapter.  
 12.23     Sec. 18.  Minnesota Statutes 1999 Supplement, section 
 12.24  31A.15, subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 12.25     Subdivision 1.  [INSPECTION.] The provisions of sections 
 12.26  31A.01 to 31A.16 requiring inspection of the slaughter of 
 12.27  animals and the preparation of the carcasses, parts of 
 12.28  carcasses, meat, poultry, poultry food products, and meat food 
 12.29  products at establishments conducting slaughter and preparation 
 12.30  do not apply: 
 12.31     (1) to the processing by a person of the person's own 
 12.32  animals and the owner's preparation and transportation in 
 12.33  intrastate commerce of the carcasses, parts of carcasses, meat, 
 12.34  poultry, poultry food products, and meat food products of those 
 12.35  animals exclusively for use by the owner and members of the 
 12.36  owner's household, nonpaying guests, and employees; or 
 13.1      (2) to the custom processing by a person of cattle, sheep, 
 13.2   swine, poultry, or goats delivered by the owner for processing, 
 13.3   and the preparation or transportation in intrastate commerce of 
 13.4   the carcasses, parts of carcasses, meat, poultry, poultry food 
 13.5   products, and meat food products of animals, exclusively for use 
 13.6   in the household of the owner by the owner and members of the 
 13.7   owner's household, nonpaying guests, and employees.  Meat from 
 13.8   custom processing of cattle, sheep, swine, poultry, or goats 
 13.9   must be identified and handled as required by the commissioner, 
 13.10  during all phases of processing, chilling, cooling, freezing, 
 13.11  preparation, storage, and transportation.  The custom processor 
 13.12  may not engage in the business of buying or selling carcasses, 
 13.13  parts of carcasses, meat, poultry, poultry food products, or 
 13.14  meat food products of animals usable as human food unless the 
 13.15  carcasses, parts of carcasses, meat, poultry, poultry food 
 13.16  products, or meat food products have been inspected and passed 
 13.17  and are identified as inspected and passed by the Minnesota 
 13.18  department of agriculture or the United States Department of 
 13.19  Agriculture.  
 13.20     Sec. 19.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31A.16, is 
 13.21  amended to read: 
 13.22     31A.16 [STORING AND HANDLING CONDITIONS.] 
 13.23     The commissioner may adopt rules prescribing conditions 
 13.24  under which carcasses, parts of carcasses, poultry, poultry food 
 13.25  products, meat, and meat food products of animals usable as 
 13.26  human food must be stored or otherwise handled by a person in 
 13.27  the business of buying, selling, freezing, storing, or 
 13.28  transporting them, in or for intrastate commerce, if the 
 13.29  commissioner considers action necessary to assure that the 
 13.30  articles will not be adulterated or misbranded when delivered to 
 13.31  the consumer.  
 13.32     Sec. 20.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 31A.17, is 
 13.33  amended to read: 
 13.34     31A.17 [ARTICLES NOT INTENDED AS HUMAN FOOD.] 
 13.35     Inspection must not be provided under sections 31A.01 to 
 13.36  31A.16 at an establishment for the slaughter of animals or the 
 14.1   preparation of carcasses or parts or products of animals which 
 14.2   are not intended for use as human food.  Before they are offered 
 14.3   for sale or transportation in intrastate commerce, those 
 14.4   articles must be denatured or otherwise identified as prescribed 
 14.5   by rules of the commissioner to deter their use for human food, 
 14.6   unless they are naturally inedible by humans.  No person may 
 14.7   buy, sell, transport, offer for sale or transportation, or 
 14.8   receive for transportation, in intrastate commerce, carcasses, 
 14.9   parts of carcasses, poultry, poultry food products, meat, or 
 14.10  meat food products of animals which are not intended for use as 
 14.11  human food unless they are denatured or otherwise identified as 
 14.12  required by the rules of the commissioner or are naturally 
 14.13  inedible by humans.