MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF LIVESTOCK
ANIMAL HEALTH & FOOD SAFETY DIVISION:
MEAT, MILK & EGG BUREAU
MEAT AND POULTRY INSPECTION SECTION
PROGRAM AND BUDGET COST ANALYSIS
Beginning in 1987, the Meat/Poultry Inspection Section’s function is to ensure that meat, poultry, and respective products are slaughtered, processed and/or stored in Montana meet state and federal requirements for clean, wholesome, and safe products. The services we provide enable local businesses to add value to Montana’s livestock industry and spur economic growth. Without this program in place processors would not be able to sell their product in to the retail supply chain under federal law unless they applied to USDA directly for inspection. A state inspection program allows small establishments to market meat products when the production size makes it difficult to gain federal inspection. As a cooperative program with USDA the federal agency provides a 50% funding match to state general fund that is appropriated to the program.
81-9-201 MCA requires anyone slaughtering, storing or wholesaling livestock or poultry products to be licensed by the state of Montana.
81-9-216 MCA, known as the Montana Meat and Poultry Inspection Act, lays out statutory provisions for meat inspection.
81-9-219 MCA -- Montana adopts federal statutes that define and guide how meat and poultry inspection is carried out. Three areas – Federal Meat Inspection Act, Federal Poultry Products Inspection Act, and the Federal Humane Methods of Slaughter Act are all adopted into Montana Code Annotated by reference.
81-9-220 MCA – Montana adopts rules consistent with the requirements of the rules of the United States Department of Agriculture that govern meat inspection. In Montana, ARM 32.6.712 adopts the applicable portions of Title 9 of the Code of Federal Regulations.