635/1. Definitions 

§ 1. In this Act, unless the context or subject matter otherwise requires:

(1) “Horse Meat” means the flesh of any animal of the equine family.

(2) “Slaughterer” means any person engaged in killing animals of the equine family where the carcasses are butchered for any purpose other than that of manufacturing tankage.

(3) “Wholesale Distributor” means any person not licensed as a slaughterer who is engaged in the business of securing horse meat from a slaughterer, distributor or any other person and distributing it to any retailer, stock or pet ranch, or place where food is served for consumption on the premises.

(4) “Package” means any closed and sealed container which is sold as an unopened unit to the purchaser.

(5) “Bulk meat” means whole carcass, half carcass or quarter carcass.

(6) “Director” means the Director of Agriculture.

(7) “Department” means the Department of Agriculture.

(8) “Processor” means an establishment in which carcasses, parts of carcasses, meat or meat-by-products derived from any animal of the equine family are wholly or in part canned, packed or otherwise processed or prepared for sale.

(9) “Breeder and Raiser of Fur Bearing Animals” means and includes any person who is actively engaged in breeding and raising fur bearing animals who kills and butchers animals of the equine family for feed for such fur bearing animals and does not sell or distribute any part of meat therefrom except in ground form, in which the meat and bones have been ground together, and then only to other persons who also are engaged in the breeding and raising of fur bearing animals.

CREDIT(S)

Laws 1951, p. 1498, § 1, eff. July 12, 1951. Amended by Laws 1953, p. 1208, § 1, eff. July 13, 1953; Laws 1955, p. 388, § 1, eff. July 1, 1955. 

635/1.5 Slaughter for Human Consumption Unlawful 

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it is unlawful for any person to slaughter a horse if that person knows or should know that any of the horse meat will be used for human consumption.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it is unlawful for any person to possess, to import into or export from this State, or to sell, buy, give away, hold, or accept any horse meat if that person knows or should know that the horse meat will be used for human consumption.

(c) Any person who knowingly violates any of the provisions of this Section is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.

(d) This Section shall not apply to:

 (1) Any commonly accepted noncommercial, recreational, or sporting activity.

 (2) Any existing laws which relate to horse taxes or zoning.

 (3) The processing of food producing animals other than those of the equine genus.

CREDIT(S)

Laws 1951, p. 1498, s 1.5, added by P.A. 95-2, s 5, eff. May 24, 2007.