An Act To Allow a Person Who Owns a Slaughterhouse To Slaughter Poultry for Other People
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0259
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: TIMBERLAKE, MASON, BLACK, CHAPMAN, CRAFTS, DILL, GILBERT, JORGENSEN, KUMIEGA
Amends: 22 MRSA §2517-D

Legislative Document 
No. 259 
H.P. 196 
House of Representatives, February 5, 2013 
An Act To Allow a Person Who Owns a Slaughterhouse To 
Slaughter Poultry for Other People 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative TIMBERLAKE of Turner. 
Cosponsored by Senator MASON of Androscoggin and 
Representatives: BLACK of Wilton, CHAPMAN of Brooksville, CRAFTS of Lisbon, DILL of 
Old Town, GILBERT of Jay, JORGENSEN of Portland, KUMIEGA of Deer Isle, McCABE of 
Skowhegan. 
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, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §2517-D is enacted to read: 
§2517-D.  Rental of a licensed slaughterhouse 
1.  Contract slaughtering.  A slaughterhouse licensed under section 2514 may enter 
into a contract with a poultry producer who otherwise meets the requirements of section 
2517-C to rent that slaughterhouse for the slaughter and processing of poultry.  Poultry 
slaughtered and processed under the rental contract must be slaughtered and processed by 
the owner or operator of the slaughterhouse. 
2.  Restrictions on point of sale.  Poultry slaughtered and processed under this 
section may be sold only from the renting poultry producer's farm and may not be offered 
for sale or transportation in interstate commerce. 
3.  Labeling.  Packaging for poultry slaughtered and processed under this section 
must contain the name of the slaughterhouse owner and the name and address of the 
renting poultry producer. 
4.  Fees.  The commissioner shall adopt rules to establish rental fees for the rental of 
licensed slaughterhouses by poultry producers eligible to contract with licensed 
slaughterhouses under this section.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine 
technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
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.