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<section article="gag" article_name="Agriculture" number="4-123.1" title_number="4" title_name="Regulation of Livestock, Poultry Products, and Eggs" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Maryland Wholesome Meat Act">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Humane method” means:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>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</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Ritual slaughter.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Humane method” does not include the use of a manually operated hammer, sledge, or poleax during a slaughtering operation.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Livestock” means cattle, calves, sheep, swine, horses, mules, goats, or other animals that may be used in the preparation of a meat product.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Livestock” does not include poultry or other fowl.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>“Packer” means a person who is engaged in the business of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Slaughtering; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Manufacturing or preparing a meat or livestock product for sale.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>“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.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>“Slaughterer” means a person who is regularly engaged in the commercial slaughtering of livestock.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>“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.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>It is the policy of the State to prevent inhumane methods of livestock slaughter at an official establishment.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>This section may not be construed to:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Prohibit or limit the religious freedom of a person;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Apply to a farmer while slaughtering livestock of the farmer; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Apply to ritual slaughter.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>A slaughterer, packer, or stockyard operator may not, unless by a humane method:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Shackle, hoist, or otherwise bring livestock into position for slaughter; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Bleed or slaughter livestock.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The Secretary shall inspect the handling of livestock in connection with slaughtering in an official establishment.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>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.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>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.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
