An Act To Ensure Accuracy in the Labeling of Maine Meat and Poultry
Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §443-B, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 844, §1, is amended to read:
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:
Sec. 3. 7 MRSA §443-C is enacted to read:
§ 443-C. Prohibition; mislabeling poultry and meat
Sec. 4. 22 MRSA §2512, sub-§1, ¶B-1 is enacted to read:
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.