PROCESSING AND SELLING POULTRY and RABBITS IN MARYLAND

1. PROCESSING AND SELLING POULTRY and RABBITS IN MARYLAND Deanna Baldwin, Program Manager Food Quality Assurance

2. DEMAND FOR LOCALLY GROWN POULTRY AND MEAT • BARRIERS TO SALE • POULTRY AND RABBITS NOT UNDER FEDERAL INSPECTION WERE NOT CONSIDERED AN APPROVED SOURCE BY DHMH • COULD ONLY BE SOLD DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS ON THE FARM • MDE REGULATIONS – COMPOSTING AND WASTE WATER DISPOSAL

3. FEDERAL MEAT REGULATIONS • NO EXEMPTIONS FROM INSPECTION FOR REGULATED SPECIES – CATTLE, SWINE, SHEEP, EQUINE, GOAT • EXCEPT – CUSTOM SLAUGHTER – SALE TO CONSUMER OF ENTIRE ANIMAL – MEAT CANNOT BE SOLD – ONLY FOR USE BY THE PURCHASER OF THE ANIMAL • CUSTOM SLAUGHTER FACILITIES ARE INSPECTED BY USDA QUARTERLY • PRODUCERS THAT HAVE THEIR ANIMALS SLAUGHTERED, PACKAGED AND LABELED AT A USDA INSPECTED FACILITY (NOT A CUSTOM EXEMPT FACILITY) CAN RETURN THE MEAT TO THE FARM FOR STORAGE IN A COMMERCIAL FREEZER THAT MAINTAINS A TEMPERATURE OF O DEGRESS OR LESS. MUST BE LICENSED BY DHMH TO STORE THE PRODUCT.

4. FEDERAL POULTRY REGULATIONS • PRODUCERS SLAUGHTERING LESS THAN 20,000 CHICKENS PER YEAR ARE EXEMPT FROM FEDERAL INSPECTION • NOT EXEMPT FROM COMPLYING WITH FEDERAL LAW • SLAUGHTER MORE THAN 1,000 BUT LESS THAN 20,000 MUST BE LABELED AS EXEMPT FROM PUBLIC LAW 90-492 • PRODUCER CANNOT ENGAGE IN SLAUGHTER, BUYING OR SELLING OF POULTRY PRODUCT OTHER THAN FROM OWN PRODUCTION

5. MDA PROGRAM FOR POULTRY AND RABBITS • MDA HAS DEVELOPED A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM FOR POULTRY EXEMPT FROM FEDERAL INSPECTION AND EXEMPT SPECIES (BISON, RABBITS) TO BE SLAUGHTERED AND PROCESSED ON THE FARM • REQUIRES TRAINING IN ANIMAL DISEASES AND SANITATION • ANNUAL INSPECTION TO ENSURE FOLLOWING THE REQUIREMENTS • PARTICIPANTS ARE ACCEPTED AS AN APPROVED SOURCE BY DHMH – CAN SELL OFF THE FARM

6. BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR POULTRY AND RABBITS • $75.00 ANNUAL CERTIFICATION FEE • POTABLE WATER USED IN PROCESSING • DISPOSAL SYSTEM/PLAN FOR OFFAL AND WASTE WATER • CLEAN AND SANITIZE ALL FOOD CONTACT SURFACES TO PREVENT INSANITARY CONDITIONS AND ADULTERATION OF PRODUCT • SLAUGHTER CONDUCTED IN AN AREA PROTECTED FROM ACCESS BY ANIMALS AND INSECTS • PESTICIDE USE – PREVENT ADULTERATION OR CONTAMINATION OF PRODUCT • LABELING – NAME AND ADDRESS, MD NUMBER, WEIGHT, SAFE HANDLING • STORAGE – REFRIGERATION CAPABLE OF MAINTAINING POULTRY/RABBITS AT 41°F OR LESS • MDA ANIMAL HEALTH SECTION – PROVIDING DIAGNOSIS FOR DISEASES OF PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN • RECORDKEEPING • NUMBER AND TYPE OF POULTRY SLAUGHTERED BY DATE

7. PROGRESS • MDE HAS DEVELOPED GUIDANCE THAT ALLOWS COMPOSTING OF OFFAL ON THE FARM • MDE WILL CONSIDER WASTE WATER FROM PROCESSING A SOIL AMENDMENT IF APPROVED BY MDA’S STATE CHEMIST OFFICE • OVER 100 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE FIRST MDA POULTRY AND RABBIT TRAINING SESSION ON MAY 6 • 14 POULTRY PRODUCERS AND 3 RABBIT PRODUCERS ARE NOW CERTIFIED AND SELLING OTHER THAN DIRECTLY FROM THE FARM

8. OTHER PROJECTS • MDA HAS BEEN WORKING WITH A GROUP IN WESTERN MARYLAND – RED MEAT MOBILE SLAUGHTER UNIT • MDA WORKING WITH AN INDIVIDUAL ON THE EASTERN SHORE - POULTRY MOBILE SLAUGHTER UNIT • ADDITIONAL POULTRY AND RABBIT TRAINING SESSIONS WILL BE HELD LATE SUMMER/EARLY FALL • UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND ASSISTED MDA WITH THE MAY TRAINING AND HAS COMMITTED TO ASSISTING MDA WITH FUTURE PRODUCER TRAINING • OTHER FEDERALLY EXEMPT SPECIES SUCH AS BISON WILL BE ADDED TO THE MDA PROGRAM

9. MDA REGULATIONS AND PROGRAMS - POULTRY AND MEAT • QUESTIONS: Deanna Baldwin 410-841-5769 baldwidl@mda.state.md.us