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The Vermont Statutes Online



Title

06

:
Agriculture






Chapter

204

:
PREPARATION OF LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY PRODUCTS











 

§

3312. Inspection; exceptions

(a) Inspection

shall not be provided under this chapter at any establishment for the slaughter

of livestock or poultry or the preparation of any livestock products or poultry

products which are not intended for use as human food, but these products

shall, prior to their offer for sale or transportation in intrastate commerce,

unless naturally inedible by humans, be denatured or otherwise identified as

prescribed by rules of the secretary to deter their use for human food. These

licensed establishments shall be subject to periodic review.

(b) Inspection

shall not be required for the slaughter or preparation of poultry products of

the producer's own raising on the producer's own farm, whether or not they are

intended for use as human food if:

(1) Fewer than

1,000 birds are slaughtered annually; and

(2) No birds are

offered for sale or transportation in interstate commerce; and

(3) The poultry

products are only sold, as whole birds only, from the farm, at a farmers'

market, or to a food restaurant licensed by the commissioner of health, or are

for personal use.

(c) All poultry

sold at a farmers' market or to a restaurant pursuant to the exemption in

subsection (b) of this section shall be labeled with the following information:

(1) Name of farm

and name of producer;

(2) Address of

farm including zip code;

(3) "Exempt

per 6 V.S.A. § 3312(b): NOT INSPECTED." This statement shall be

prominently displayed with such conspicuousness (as compared with other words

or statements, designs, or devices in the labeling) as to render it likely to

be read and understood under customary conditions of purchase and use.

(4) Safe

handling and cooking instructions as follows:

"SAFE

HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS:

Keep

refrigerated or frozen. Thaw in refrigerator or microwave.

Keep raw poultry

separate from other foods.

Wash working

surfaces, including cutting boards, utensils, and hands after touching raw

poultry.

Cook thoroughly

to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit maintained for at

least 15 seconds.

Keep hot foods

hot. Refrigerate leftovers immediately or discard."

(d) Any menu

item that includes poultry that is exempt under this section shall clearly

state the name of the farm from which the poultry was purchased and shall

prominently display the words "poultry processed on the farm and not

inspected" on the menu in proximity to the menu item. Poultry sold to food

restaurants under the exemption in this section shall include a label alerting

the purchaser to these labeling requirements.

(e) The poultry

producer, upon first selling poultry to a food restaurant, must procure a

signed statement from the food restaurant stating that the food restaurant is

aware that the poultry is exempted from inspection under subsection (b) of this

section, and that the menu of the food restaurant must have the information

required by subsection (d) of this section. The poultry producer must keep the

signed statement on file as long as the producer is selling poultry to the food

restaurant under this section. The poultry producer must have a signed

statement on file from each food restaurant to which poultry is sold under this

section and an exact copy of each statement, including the name of the producer

and the name of the purchasing restaurant shall be forwarded to the department

of health. (Added 1985, No. 226 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. June 2, 1986; amended

2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003; 2007, No. 38, § 8, eff. May 21, 2007.)