reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-120 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 1 - Maryland Wholesome Meat Act|Section 4-120 - Records; Access to Premises; Samples

    Every person subject to the requirements of this subtitle, whether or not required to be licensed, shall maintain records required by departmental rules and regulations. Each person, upon notification by the Secretary, shall afford the Secretary access to his place of business at any reasonable time; the opportunity to inspect the facilities, inventory, and records; and the opportunity to copy any record and take any reasonable sample of inventory upon payment of its fair market value. Any record required to be maintained by this section shall be maintained at least for the period of time the Secretary prescribes by rule or regulation.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-121 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 1 - Maryland Wholesome Meat Act|Section 4-121 - Rules and Regulations Governing Storage and Handling of Carcasses, Meat, and Meat Food Products

    To assure that articles are not adulterated or misbranded when delivered to the consumer, the Secretary, by rule or regulation, may prescribe the conditions under which any livestock carcass, any part of it, meat, or any meat food product capable of use as human food shall be stored or otherwise handled by any person engaged in the business of buying, selling, freezing, storing, or transporting these articles in or for intrastate commerce.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-122 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 1 - Maryland Wholesome Meat Act|Section 4-122 - Sale, Purchase, or Transportation of Dead, Disabled, or Diseased Livestock

    No person engaged in the business of buying, selling, or transporting, in intrastate commerce, any dead, dying, disabled, or diseased livestock or any part of the carcass of livestock, that died otherwise than by slaughter, may buy, sell, donate, transport, or offer or receive for sale or transportation, in intrastate commerce, the livestock or part of carcass, unless the transaction or transportation is made pursuant to the departmental rules and regulations.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-123.1 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 1 - Maryland Wholesome Meat Act|Section 4-123.1 - Inhumane Slaughter of Livestock

    (a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.        (2)    (i)    “Humane method” means:                1.    A method by which livestock are rendered insensible to pain, by a single blow or gunshot, or by an electrical, chemical, or other rapid and effective means, before being shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut; or                2.    Ritual slaughter.            (ii)    “Humane method” does not include the use of a manually operated hammer, sledge, or poleax during a slaughtering operation.        (3)    (i)    “Livestock” means cattle, calves, sheep, swine, horses, mules, goats, or other animals that may be used in the preparation of a meat product.            (ii)    “Livestock” does not include poultry or other fowl.        (4)    “Packer” means a person who is engaged in the business of:            (i)    Slaughtering; or            (ii)    Manufacturing or preparing a meat or livestock product for sale.        (5)    “Ritual slaughter” means a method of slaughter by which livestock suffer loss of consciousness by anemia of the brain caused by simultaneous and instantaneous severance of the carotid arteries with a sharp instrument in accordance with ritual requirements of a religious faith.        (6)    “Slaughterer” means a person who is regularly engaged in the commercial slaughtering of livestock.        (7)    “Stockyard” means a facility, consisting of pens, other enclosures, and appurtenances, operated for compensation or profit as a public market to handle, keep, and hold livestock for sale or shipment.    (b)    It is the policy of the State to prevent inhumane methods of livestock slaughter at an official establishment.    (c)    This section may not be construed to:        (1)    Prohibit or limit the religious freedom of a person;        (2)    Apply to a farmer while slaughtering livestock of the farmer; or        (3)    Apply to ritual slaughter.    (d)    A slaughterer, packer, or stockyard operator may not, unless by a humane method:        (1)    Shackle, hoist, or otherwise bring livestock into position for slaughter; or        (2)    Bleed or slaughter livestock.    (e)    The Secretary shall inspect the handling of livestock in connection with slaughtering in an official establishment.    (f)    (1)    A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $100 for each violation.        (2)    In addition to the penalty under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Secretary may refuse to provide or may suspend temporarily inspection services for an establishment that violates this section with respect to the slaughter of livestock.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-124 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 1 - Maryland Wholesome Meat Act|Section 4-124 - Detention of Carcass or Meat Food Product

    (a)    The Secretary may detain for no more than 20 days any livestock carcass, part of, or meat food product; any product exempted from the definition of meat food product; or any dead, dying, disabled, or diseased livestock the Secretary finds on premises where it is held for distribution, or during or after distribution, if the article is capable of use as human food and there is reason to suspect that:        (1)    It is adulterated or misbranded;        (2)    The article has not been inspected pursuant to this subtitle or any other State or federal law; or        (3)    The article has been or is intended to be distributed in violation of this subtitle or any other State or federal law.    (b)    The article shall be detained pending condemnation proceedings or notification of any federal or other governmental authority having jurisdiction over the article. No person may remove any detained article until the Secretary releases it.    (c)    The Secretary may require all official marks to be removed from the article before it is released unless he decides the article is eligible to retain the marks.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-125 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 1 - Maryland Wholesome Meat Act|Section 4-125 - Seizure and Condemnation of Carcass or Meat Food Product

    (a)    Any livestock carcass, part of it, or meat food product of any dead, dying, disabled, or diseased livestock that is transported in intrastate commerce, or is held for sale or donation in the State after transportation, and that (1) is or has been prepared, sold, transported, or distributed, or offered or received for distribution, in violation of this subtitle, or (2) is capable of use as human food and is adulterated or misbranded, or (3) in any other way violates this subtitle, shall be liable to be proceeded against and seized and condemned on a libel of information in the circuit court of any county within whose jurisdiction the article is found.    (b)    Upon condemnation and entry of the decree, the article shall be destroyed or sold as the court directs and, if sold, the proceeds, less the court costs, fees, storage, and other proper expenses, shall be paid into the State Treasury. The article may not be sold contrary to the provisions of this subtitle or federal law.    (c)    Upon execution and delivery of a good and sufficient bond conditioned that the article may not be sold or otherwise disposed of contrary to this subtitle or federal law, the court may direct that the article be delivered to the owner subject to the supervision of the Secretary to insure compliance with this subtitle.    (d)    When a decree of condemnation is entered against the article and it is released under bond or destroyed, court cost, fees, storage and other proper expenses shall be awarded against the person intervening as claimant of the article.    (e)    The proceedings in libel cases shall conform to proceedings in admiralty to the extent possible. However, either party may demand a jury trial of any issue of fact joined in any case. All proceedings shall be at the suit of or in the name of the State.    (f)    This section does not derogate from authority for condemnation or seizure conferred by other provisions of this subtitle or other laws.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-126 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 1 - Maryland Wholesome Meat Act|Section 4-126 - Oaths; Subpoenas; Privilege Against Self-Incrimination

    The Secretary may administer oaths and affirmations, take depositions, and require by subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of documentary evidence relating to any matter under investigation or the subject of any hearing. The circuit court of any county may compel obedience to any subpoena. After claiming a privilege against self-incrimination, no individual may be prosecuted or subjected to any penalty or forfeiture for any matter concerning which he may be compelled to testify or produce evidence in obedience to a Department subpoena, except for perjury committed in testifying.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-127 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 1 - Maryland Wholesome Meat Act|Section 4-127 - Responsibility for Acts of Agent or Employee

    Unless otherwise provided, when construing or enforcing any provision of this subtitle, every act, omission, or failure of any person acting within the scope of his employment or office and acting for or employed by another person is the act, omission, or failure of that person as well as of the person committing the act.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-128 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 1 - Maryland Wholesome Meat Act|Section 4-128 - Report of Violations for Criminal Prosecution

    Before the Secretary reports any violation of this subtitle to the State’s Attorney of the political subdivision in which the violation occurred for institution of a criminal proceeding, the person against whom the proceeding is contemplated shall be given reasonable notice of the alleged violation and opportunity to present his views orally or in writing with regard to the contemplated proceeding. This subtitle does not require the Secretary to report for criminal prosecution any violation of this subtitle if the public interest is served adequately and compliance with the subtitle can be obtained by a suitable written warning notice.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-129 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 1 - Maryland Wholesome Meat Act|Section 4-129 - Injunctions; Proceedings to Be in Name of State

    (a)    The circuit court of any county has jurisdiction to grant injunctive relief to enforce this subtitle or restrain violations of this subtitle.    (b)    Any proceeding to enforce this subtitle or restrain violations of this subtitle shall be by and in the name of the State.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-130 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 1 - Maryland Wholesome Meat Act|Section 4-130 - Penalty for Violation of 4-123

    Notwithstanding any penalty provided by the provisions of this article, any person who violates the provisions of § 4–123 of this subtitle is guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, is subject to imprisonment not exceeding six months, or a fine not exceeding $3,000, or both. If the violation is committed after the first conviction becomes final, the person is subject to imprisonment not exceeding one year, or a fine not exceeding $5,000, or both. If the violation is committed after the second conviction becomes final, the person is subject to imprisonment not exceeding two years, or a fine not exceeding $10,000, or both. The court may impose costs in its discretion.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-131 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 1 - Maryland Wholesome Meat Act|Section 4-131 - Short Title

    This subtitle may be cited as the Maryland Wholesome Meat Act.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-202 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 2 - Maryland Poultry Products Inspection Act|Section 4-202 - Legislative Declarations

    Poultry and poultry products are an important source of the nation’s total food supply. It is in the public interest that the health and welfare of consumers be protected by assuring that slaughtered poultry and poultry products distributed to them are wholesome, not adulterated, and properly marked, labeled, and packaged. Unwholesome, 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 poultry products, and result in sundry losses to producers and processors of poultry and poultry products, as well as injury to consumers. Unwholesome, adulterated, mislabeled, or deceptively packaged articles can be sold at lower prices and compete unfairly with wholesome, not adulterated, and properly labeled and packaged articles, to the detriment of consumers and the public generally. Regulation by the Secretary and cooperation by the State and the United States are appropriate to protect the health and welfare of consumers.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-203 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 2 - Maryland Poultry Products Inspection Act|Section 4-203 - Applicability of Subtitle

    This subtitle applies to any person, establishment, poultry, poultry product, and any other article regulated under the federal Poultry Products Inspection Act only to the extent that it is consistent with the federal act. This subtitle does not apply to any act or transaction subject to exclusive regulation under the federal Poultry Products Inspection Act. This subtitle does not affect wild birds or game mammals or the slaughtering, cleaning, picking, processing, or inspection of them.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-204 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 2 - Maryland Poultry Products Inspection Act|Section 4-204 - Cooperation With United States Secretary of Agriculture; Acceptance of Federal Assistance

    (a)    The Secretary shall cooperate with the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States in developing and administering the State poultry products inspection program to assure that the State requirements at least are equal to those imposed by the federal Poultry Products Inspection Act and to develop and administer the State inspection program in a manner that effectuates the purposes of this subtitle and the federal act.    (b)    The Secretary may accept from the United States Secretary of Agriculture (i) advisory assistance in planning and otherwise developing the State program; and (ii) technical and laboratory assistance, training, and financial and other aid for administration of a program. The Secretary may spend public funds of the State, appropriated for administration of this subtitle, to pay the share of the estimated total cost of the cooperative program as may be agreed upon by the Secretary and the United States Secretary of Agriculture.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-205 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 2 - Maryland Poultry Products Inspection Act|Section 4-205 - Inspection of Official Poultry Processing Establishments; Condemnation

    (a)    At any official establishment, the Secretary may perform the following acts:        (1)    Antemortem inspection;        (2)    Postmortem inspection; and        (3)    Quarantine, segregation, and reinspection.    (b)    Every poultry carcass, part of it, or other poultry product found to be adulterated in any official establishment shall be condemned. If no appeal is taken from the determination of condemnation, every adulterated article shall be destroyed for human food purposes under the supervision of the inspector in the manner the rules and regulations prescribe. However, any article which may be reprocessed so that it is not adulterated need not be condemned if it is reprocessed under the supervision of an inspector and found not to be adulterated.    (c)    If an appeal to the Secretary is taken from a determination of condemnation, the article shall be marked appropriately and segregated pending an appeal inspection. If the Secretary determines that the appeal is frivolous, the appellant shall bear any cost of the appeal inspection. If the determination is sustained, the article shall be destroyed for human food purposes in accordance with this section.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-206 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 2 - Maryland Poultry Products Inspection Act|Section 4-206 - Inspection and Identification of Poultry Not Intended for Use as Human Food; Transportation and Sale

    (a)    The Secretary may not inspect any establishment that slaughters poultry or processes any poultry carcass, part or product of it, that is not intended for use as human food. However, the article shall be denatured or otherwise identified to deter its use as human food, pursuant to departmental rule or regulation, prior to its offer for sale or transportation in intrastate commerce, unless the article is naturally inedible by humans.    (b)    No person may buy, sell, donate, transport, offer for sale or transportation in intrastate commerce any poultry carcass, or any part or product of it, not intended for use as human food unless it is denatured, or otherwise identified to deter its use as human food as required by the departmental rules and regulations, or it is naturally inedible by humans.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-207 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 2 - Maryland Poultry Products Inspection Act|Section 4-207 - Payment of Cost of Inspection

    The State shall bear the cost of inspection rendered under this subtitle, except as provided in § 4–204 of this subtitle. However, each establishment shall pay the cost of overtime and holiday work, except during the 14–day period immediately prior to both Thanksgiving and Christmas, at rates the Secretary determines. Sums received by the Secretary, in reimbursement for sums paid out for premium pay work, shall be available without fiscal year limitation to carry out the purposes of this section.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-208 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 2 - Maryland Poultry Products Inspection Act|Section 4-208 - Sanitary Practices at Official Establishments

    (a)    Each official establishment shall have its premises, facilities, equipment, and operation in accordance with sanitary practices required by departmental rules and regulations.    (b)    The Secretary shall refuse to inspect any establishment whose premises, facilities, equipment, or operation fails to meet the requirements of this section.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-209 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 2 - Maryland Poultry Products Inspection Act|Section 4-209 - Labeling, Marking, and Container

    (a)    Every poultry product, inspected at an official establishment and found not to be adulterated, shall bear the information required by § 4–201(o) of this subtitle and departmental rules and regulations in distinctly legible form on the shipping container or other container, as the Secretary requires, when it leaves the establishment.    (b)    When it is feasible and necessary for the protection of the public, the Secretary also may require any nonconsumer packaged carcass to bear any information required by § 4–201(o) of this subtitle directly on it in distinctly legible form when it leaves the establishment.    (c)    The Secretary may prescribe:        (1)    The styles and sizes of type for material required to be incorporated in labeling to avoid false or misleading labeling; and        (2)    Definitions and standards of identity or composition for articles subject to this subtitle and standards of fill of container for these articles not inconsistent with standards established under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or under the federal Poultry Products Inspection Act. There shall be consultation between the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States prior to the issuance of the standards to avoid inconsistency between the State standards and the federal standards.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-210 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 2 - Maryland Poultry Products Inspection Act|Section 4-210 - Entry of Products Into Official Establishment

    The Secretary may prescribe conditions limiting the entry of poultry products and other materials into any official establishment to assure that entry is consistent with the purposes of this subtitle.
MD. Agriculture Code Ann. §  4-211 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Agriculture|Title 4 - Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs|Subtitle 2 - Maryland Poultry Products Inspection Act|Section 4-211 - False or Misleading Name, Marking, or Labeling; Misleading Container

    (a)    No person may sell, offer for sale, or donate any article subject to this subtitle under any false or misleading name, marking, or labeling or in any container of a misleading form or size. In addition to any other provision of this subsection, established trade names, other marking, labeling, and containers approved by the Secretary are permitted.    (b)    If the Secretary has reason to believe that any marking, labeling, size, or form of any container, in use or proposed for use with respect to any article subject to this subtitle, is false or misleading in any particular, he may direct that its use be withheld unless the marking, labeling, or container is modified so that it is not false or misleading. If the person using or proposing to use the marking, labeling, or container does not accept the determination of the Secretary, he may request a hearing before the Secretary. The Secretary may withhold the use of the marking, labeling, or container pending hearing and final determination by the Secretary. The determination of the Secretary is conclusive unless, within 30 days after receipt of notice of the final determination, the person adversely affected appeals in accordance with the procedures of the Administrative Procedure Act.