Report Title:

Department of Agriculture; Meat rendering facilities

Description:

Gives greater authority to the department of agriculture to license, monitor, and regulate Hawaii's meat rendering facilities to ensure that products such as meat and bone meal and blood meal are properly used.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2783

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the department of agriculture requires additional authority over Hawaii's meat rendering plants to ensure that any meat and bone meal and blood meal derived from rendered materials is neither fed to cattle nor any other animal. Cattle consuming meal containing the infectious agent for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as "mad cow" disease may contract the disease.

Detected for the first time in the United States in December 2003, BSE is a disorder that affects the central nervous system of cattle. Scientific evidence has established that this disease is communicable to humans under certain circumstances.

Discovery of BSE in the domestic food supply has drastically reduced the demand for United States beef, and consequently lowered the price of meat products. According to a nationwide poll of two thousand three hundred seventy-eight adults conducted online between January 6-8, 2004, by Harris Interactive for the Wall Street Journal Online's Health Industry Edition, one in every five polled said that fear of mad cow disease will change their eating habits.

The legislature also recognizes that maintaining the absence of BSE in Hawaii's cattle has positive economic implications. According to the European Commission classification system, the United States is currently at level II status for BSE, or "unlikely but not excluded." A level I country or region is considered "highly unlikely" for BSE. Hawaii's isolated geographical location and the ability to control the conditions under which our cattle are raised may permit classification of Hawaii as a level I regional market. This would enhance domestic and export demand for Hawaii beef products, consequently increasing their market price and the industry's profitability.

The purpose of this Act is to delegate additional authority to the department of agriculture to license, monitor, and regulate Hawaii's meat rendering facilities to ensure that products such as meat and bone meal and blood meal are properly used, to protect Hawaii's food supply and encourage growth of the cattle industry.

SECTION 2. Chapter 159, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§159- Meat rendering facilities; meat and bone meal and blood meal. (a) The department shall prohibit the use of meat and bone meal and blood meal produced by meat rendering facilities:

(1) In animal feed formulations within the state; and

(2) As fertilizer on grazing lands.

(b) The department, for the purpose of ensuring that meat and bone meal and blood meal produced by meat rendering facilities is not fed to cattle or any other animal, may:

(1) License, monitor, and regulate meat rendering

facilities located in the state; and

(2) Require quarterly summaries of the type and quantity

of raw materials rendered and the amount, type, and disposition of rendered products."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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