Legislative
Agricultural Chairs VII
State
Agriculture and Rural Leaders
Resolution
2009-3
Resolution
Urging the Re-examination of the Rules
Regarding the Disposal of Animal Remains.
WHEREAS:
the production of milk,
meat and fiber, as well as, the equine industry are essential sectors
of agriculture
in the United States; and
WHEREAS: regardless of how well
animals are managed, some will die from a variety of causes; and normal
processing of meat animals results in animal remains; and
WHEREAS: Cattle slaughterers
already remove the brain and spinal cord in accordance with existing
U.S.
Department of Agriculture regulations that require removal of specified
risk
materials (SRMs) in cattle 30 months of age and older processed for
human food.
Under the proposed addition to 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
589.2000,
slaughter facilities will need to separate the brain and spinal cord
from the
rest of the SRMs if the animal is 30 months of age or
older and the material is going to be rendered. Even though slaughter
facilities are not regulated and inspected by FDA, renderers will
require their
suppliers to have procedures and records in place to meet the new FDA
requirements to ensure they are in compliance.
WHEREAS: this added level of
requirement poses unintended consequences with concern that rendering
companies
may stop picking up dead cattle and that higher fees will discourage
farmers
from calling a rendering company when an animal dies. The result could
be dead
cattle that are illegally dumped; and
WHEREAS; in advance of the
implementation of this regulation, many renderers have already ceased
to
collect and process animal remains; and
WHEREAS;
a
lack of a viable, affordable and
environmentally sound process for the disposal of animal remains will result in a severe economic
challenge for animal agriculture
operations, and
potentially create water quality issues;
NOW
THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED;
that State Agricultural and Rural Leaders urge Congress and the
administration
to delay implementation of the new section of 21 Code of Federal
Regulations
(CFR) 589.2000 for a minimum of six months, in order to re-examine the
issue of
carcass disposal and to create a system that meets the needs of
producers,
processors, renderers and the general public; and
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED: that
a copy of this resolution be
sent to The United States Congress, Secretary of
Agriculture, and the agriculture committees of the state legislatures.
