An Act To Ensure Accuracy in the Labeling of Maine Meat and Poultry
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0351
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: PLUECKER, BLACK, COSTAIN, HALL, HICKMAN, MAXMIN, SKOLFIELD, DILL
Amends: 7 MRSA §443-B, 7 MRSA §443-C, 22 MRSA §2512

Legislative Document
No. 351
H.P. 277
House of Representatives, January 24, 2019
An Act To Ensure Accuracy in the Labeling of Maine Meat and 
Poultry
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative PLUECKER of Warren.
Cosponsored by Senator BLACK of Franklin and
Representatives: COSTAIN of Plymouth, HALL of Wilton, HICKMAN of Winthrop, 
MAXMIN of Nobleboro, McCREA of Fort Fairfield, SKOLFIELD of Weld, Senator: DILL of 
Penobscot.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  7 MRSA §443-B, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 844, §1, is amended 
to read:
2.  Origin of product.  For purposes of this section, the commissioner shall define, 
by rule, for each commodity group other than poultry and poultry products covered under 
subsection 2-A and meat and meat products covered under subsection 2-B, the meaning 
of the term "produced within the State" and the minimum percent of the content of any 
package that must have actually been produced within the State to meet the requirements 
for use of any mark under this section.
The commissioner shall grant a waiver to the minimum content criteria when emergency 
market conditions arise which that are abnormal to the historic flow of a specific 
commodity, with the degree of the waiver to be determined by the commissioner.  The 
commissioner shall determine what constitutes an emergency condition.
Sec. 2.  7 MRSA §443-B, sub-§§2-A and 2-B are enacted to read:
2-A.  Maine poultry and poultry products.  Poultry and poultry products as defined 
in Title 22, section 2511 sold or offered for sale may not be labeled with a certified 
"Maine" trademark under subsection 1 unless the poultry was raised solely in the State 
from no later than the 7th day after hatching.
2-B.  Maine meat and meat products.  Meat and meat products as defined in Title 
22, section 2511 sold or offered for sale may not be labeled with a certified "Maine" 
trademark under subsection 1 unless the animal was born in the State and raised solely in 
the State.
Sec. 3.  7 MRSA §443-C is enacted to read:
§443-C.  Prohibition; mislabeling poultry and meat
1.  Prohibition; mislabeling poultry and meat.  Poultry, poultry products, meat and 
meat products as defined in Title 22, section 2511 sold or offered for sale may not be 
labeled or advertised as "Maine-raised" or by a similar designation unless:
A.  For poultry and poultry products, the poultry was raised solely in the State from 
no later than the 7th day after hatching; and
B.  For meat and meat products, the animal was born in the State and raised solely in 
the State.
2.  Violation.  For a violation of subsection 1, the commissioner may suspend or 
revoke a license or may take any other action that the commissioner determines 
appropriate as provided under Title 22, section 2514, subsection 6.
Sec. 4.  22 MRSA §2512, sub-§1, ¶B-1 is enacted to read:
B-1.  Enforce the prohibition under Title 7, section 443-C on labeling or advertising 
poultry, poultry products, meat and meat products sold or offered for sale as "Maine-
raised" or by a similar designation;
SUMMARY
This bill provides that:
1.  Poultry and poultry products sold or offered for sale may not be labeled with a 
certified "Maine" trademark or labeled or advertised as "Maine-raised" or by a similar 
designation unless the poultry was raised solely in the State from no later than the 7th day 
after hatching; and
2.  Meat and meat products sold or offered for sale may not be labeled with a certified 
"Maine" trademark or labeled or advertised as "Maine-raised" or by a similar designation 
unless the animal was born in the State and raised solely in the State.
The bill also requires the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, 
under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, chapter 562-A relating to preparation of 
livestock and poultry products for human consumption, to enforce the prohibition on 
labeling or advertising poultry, poultry products, meat and meat products sold or offered 
for sale as "Maine-raised" unless the requirements in this bill are met.