82.04.264 - Tax on perishable meat products.

Tax on perishable meat products.

(1) Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of manufacturing:

     (a) Perishable meat products, by slaughtering, breaking, or processing, if the finished product is a perishable meat product; as to such persons the tax imposed is equal to the value of the perishable meat products manufactured, or, in the case of a processor for hire, the gross income of the business, multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent;

     (b) Meat products, by dehydration, curing, smoking, or any combination of these activities, if the finished meat products are not canned; as to such persons the tax imposed is equal to the value of the meat products manufactured, or, in the case of a processor for hire, the gross income of the business, multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent;

     (c) Hides, tallow, meat meal, and other similar meat by-products, if such products are derived in part from animals and manufactured in a rendering plant licensed under chapter 16.68 RCW; as to such persons the tax imposed is equal to the value of the products manufactured, or, in the case of a processor for hire, the gross income of the business, multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent.

     (2) Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of selling at wholesale:

     (a) Perishable meat products; as to such persons the tax imposed is equal to the gross proceeds derived from such sales multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent;

     (b) Meat products that have been manufactured by the seller by dehydration, curing, smoking, or any combination of such activities, if the finished meat products are not canned; as to such persons the tax imposed is equal to the gross proceeds derived from such sales multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent;

     (c) Hides, tallow, meat meal, and other similar meat by-products, if such products are derived in part from animals and manufactured by the seller in a rendering plant; as to such persons the tax imposed is equal to the gross proceeds derived from such sales multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent.

     (3) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

     (a) "Animal" means all members of the animal kingdom except humans, fish, and insects.

     (b) "Carcass" means all or any parts, including viscera, of a slaughtered animal.

     (c) "Fish" means any water-breathing animal, including shellfish.

     (d) "Hide" means any unprocessed animal pelt or skin.

     (e)(i) "Meat products" means:

     (A) Products comprised exclusively of animal carcass; and

     (B) Products, such as jerky, sausage, and other cured meat products, that are comprised primarily of animal carcass by weight or volume and may also contain water; nitrates; nitrites; acids; binders and extenders; natural or synthetic casings; colorings; flavorings such as soy sauce, liquid smoke, seasonings, citric acid, sugar, molasses, corn syrup, and vinegar; and similar substances.

     (ii) Except as provided in (e)(i) of this subsection (3), "meat products" does not include products containing any cereal grains or cereal-grain products, dairy products, legumes and legume products, fruit or vegetable products as defined in RCW 82.04.260, and similar ingredients, unless the ingredient is used as a flavoring. For purposes of this subsection, "flavoring" means a substance that contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf, or any other edible substance of plant origin, whose primary function in food is flavoring or seasoning rather than nutritional, and which may legally appear as "natural flavor," "flavor," or "flavorings" in the ingredient statement on the label of the meat product.

     (iii) "Meat products" includes only products that are intended for human consumption as food or animal consumption as feed.

     (f) "Perishable" means having a high risk of spoilage within thirty days of manufacture without any refrigeration or freezing.

     (g) "Rendering plant" means any place of business or location where dead animals or any part or portion thereof, or packing house refuse, are processed for the purpose of obtaining the hide, skin, grease residue, or any other by-product whatsoever.

[2010 1st sp.s. c 23 § 502.]

Notes: Findings -- Intent -- 2010 1st sp.s. c 23: "(1)(a) In 1967, the legislature amended RCW 82.04.260 in chapter 149, Laws of 1967 ex. sess. to authorize a preferential business and occupation tax rate for slaughtering, breaking, and/or processing perishable meat products and/or selling the same at wholesale. The legislature finds that RCW 82.04.260(4) was interpreted by the state supreme court on January 13, 2005, in Agrilink Foods, Inc. v. Department of Revenue, 153 Wn.2d 392 (2005). The supreme court held that the preferential business and occupation tax rate on the slaughtering, breaking, and/or processing of perishable meat products applied to the processing of perishable meat products into nonperishable finished products, such as canned food.

     (b) The legislature intends to narrow the exemption provided for slaughtering, breaking, and/or processing perishable meat products and/or selling such products at wholesale by requiring that the end product be a perishable meat product; a nonperishable meat product that is comprised primarily of animal carcass by weight or volume, other than a canned meat product; or a meat by-product.

     (2)(a) A business and occupation tax exemption is provided for (i) manufacturing by canning, preserving, freezing, processing, or dehydrating fresh fruits or vegetables, and (ii) selling such products at wholesale by the manufacturer to purchasers who transport the goods out of state in the ordinary course of business. This exemption expires July 1, 2012, and is replaced by a preferential business and occupation tax rate.

     (b) The legislature finds that the rationale of the Agrilink decision, if applied to these tax preferences, could result in preferential tax treatment for any processed food product that contained any fresh fruit or vegetable as an ingredient, however small the amount.

     (c) The legislature intends to narrow the tax preference provided to fruit and vegetable manufacturers by requiring that the end product be comprised either (i) exclusively of fruits and/or vegetables, or (ii) of any combination of fruits, vegetables, and certain other substances that, cumulatively, may not exceed the amount of fruits and vegetables contained in the product measured by weight or volume." [2010 1st sp.s. c 23 § 501.]

Effective date -- 2010 1st sp.s. c 23: See note following RCW 82.04.4292.

Findings -- Intent -- 2010 1st sp.s. c 23: See notes following RCW 82.04.220.