§ 106-549.50. Purpose and policy.
§ 106‑549.50. Purpose and policy.
(a) Poultry and poultry products are an important source of thenation's total supply of food. It is essential in the public interest that thehealth and welfare of consumers be protected by assuring that slaughtered poultryand poultry products distributed to them are wholesome, not adulterated, andproperly marked, labeled, and packaged. Unwholesome, adulterated, or misbrandedpoultry or poultry products are injurious to the public welfare, destroymarkets for wholesome, not adulterated, and properly labeled and packagedpoultry and poultry products, and result in sundry losses to poultry producersand processors of poultry and poultry products, as well as injury to consumers.The unwholesome, adulterated, mislabeled, or deceptively packaged articles canbe sold at lower prices and compete unfairly with the wholesome, notadulterated, and properly labeled and packaged articles, to the detriment ofconsumers and the public generally. It is hereby found that regulation by theBoard and cooperation by this State and the United States as contemplated bythis Article are appropriate to protect the health and welfare of consumers andotherwise effectuate the purposes of this Article.
(b) It is hereby declared to be the policy of the GeneralAssembly to provide for the inspection of poultry and poultry products andotherwise regulate the processing and distribution of such articles ashereinafter prescribed to prevent the movement or sale in intrastate commerceof poultry and poultry products which are adulterated or misbranded. It is theintent of the General Assembly that when poultry and poultry products arecondemned because of disease, the reason for condemnation in such instancesshall be supported by scientific fact, information, or criteria, and suchcondemnation under this Article shall be achieved through uniform inspectionstandards and uniform application thereof. (1971, c. 677, ss. 2, 3.)