Maine Code § 22-2523

Prohibited acts
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1. Use as human food. A person may not, with respect to livestock, poultry or livestock products
or poultry products:
A. Slaughter any livestock or poultry or prepare products that are useable as human food at a
registered, licensed or official establishment preparing the products solely for intrastate commerce,
except in compliance with the requirements of this chapter and the rules adopted pursuant to this
chapter; [PL 2021, c. 64, §27 (AMD).]
B. In intrastate commerce, sell, transport, offer for sale or transportation or receive for
transportation products that are useable as human food and:
(1) Are adulterated or misbranded at the time of the sale, transportation, offer for sale or
transportation or receipt for transportation; or
(2) Have not been inspected and passed, unless the products are exempt from inspection
pursuant to rules adopted by the commissioner; or [PL 1999, c. 777, §1 (NEW).]
C. With respect to those products that are useable as human food, perform any act, while the
products are being transported in intrastate commerce or held for sale after transportation, that is
intended to cause or has the effect of causing the products to be adulterated or misbranded. [PL
1999, c. 777, §1 (NEW).]
[PL 2021, c. 64, §27 (AMD).]
2. Slaughtered poultry. In intrastate commerce, a person may not sell, transport, offer for sale or
transportation or receive for transportation or from an official establishment any slaughtered poultry
from which the blood, feathers, feet, head or viscera have not been removed in accordance with rules
adopted by the commissioner except as authorized by those rules.
[PL 1999, c. 777, §1 (NEW).]
3. Carcasses of horses, mules or other equines or parts of these carcasses. In intrastate
commerce, a person may not sell, transport, offer for sale or transportation or receive for transportation
any carcasses of horses, mules or other equines or parts of these carcasses, or the meat or meat food
products of these carcasses.
[PL 2021, c. 64, §28 (AMD).]
4. Denatured. In intrastate commerce, a person may not buy, sell, transport or offer for sale or
transportation or receive for transportation livestock products or poultry products that are not intended
for use as human food, unless they are denatured or otherwise identified as required by the rules of the
commissioner or are naturally inedible by humans.
[PL 1999, c. 777, §1 (NEW).]
5. Animals not slaughtered. A person engaged in the business of buying, selling or transporting
in intrastate commerce dead, dying, disabled or diseased animals or parts of the carcasses of any animals
that died other than by slaughter may not buy, sell, transport, offer for sale or transportation or receive
for transportation in intrastate commerce dead, dying, disabled or diseased livestock or poultry or the
products of these animals that died other than by slaughter, unless the transaction or transportation is
made in accordance with rules that the commissioner may prescribe to ensure that the animals or the
unwholesome parts or products are prevented from being used for human food purposes.
[PL 1999, c. 777, §1 (NEW).]
6. False information or failure to cooperate. A person commits a Class D crime if the person
intentionally or knowingly:
A. Makes or causes to be made, a false entry or statement of fact; [PL 1999, c. 777, §1 (NEW).]
B. Fails to make correct entries in any report, account, record or memorandum kept by a person
that is required by or subject to this chapter; [PL 1999, c. 777, §1 (NEW).]

C. Removes out of the jurisdiction of this State or mutilates, alters or by any other means falsifies
documentary evidence of a person subject to this chapter; or [PL 1999, c. 777, §1 (NEW).]
D. Refuses to submit to the commissioner or to any of the commissioner's authorized agents, for
the purpose of inspection and taking copies, documentary evidence of a person, subject to this
chapter, in that person's possession or within that person's control. [PL 1999, c. 777, §1 (NEW).]
[PL 1999, c. 777, §1 (NEW).]
7. Report. If a person fails to file an annual or special report as required by this chapter, the
commissioner shall notify that person of the failure to report and designate a day by which the report
must be received. If the report is not received within 30 days of the designated day, the person shall
forfeit $100 to the State for each day beyond the 30-day period. The forfeiture is payable into the State
Treasury and is recoverable in a civil suit, in the name of the State, brought in the county where the
person has that person's principal office or in the Superior Court.
[PL 1999, c. 777, §1 (NEW).]

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