Resolve, To Develop and Promote Enhanced Humane Livestock Handling and Slaughtering Practices

Sec. 1. Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources to develop enhanced humane livestock handling and slaughtering practices. Resolved: That the Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources, referred to in this resolve as "the commissioner," shall engage an animal behaviorist specializing in the design of slaughtering facilities and methods of slaughter to conduct a workshop on enhanced humane livestock handling and slaughtering practices. The commissioner shall notify commercial and custom slaughtering facilities licensed under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 2514 and livestock producers throughout the State of the location and date for the workshop. The purpose of the workshop is to serve as an educational forum and a step in the development of enhanced voluntary guidelines for humane slaughter. The Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources shall develop enhanced voluntary humane handling and slaughter guidelines, to be known as "Maine Humane," and report on the guidelines to the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry no later than January 2, 2008. The commissioner also shall provide the committee with a proposed strategy for voluntary implementation of the guidelines; and be it further

Sec. 2. Legislation authorized. Resolved: That the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry may submit legislation regarding enhanced humane livestock handling and slaughtering practices and certification and labeling of meat products from slaughterhouses adhering to these voluntary practices to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature; and be it further

Sec. 3. Priority in awarding grants from the Agricultural Development Fund. Resolved: That, notwithstanding criteria established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7, section 306-A, subsection 3 and rules adopted in accordance with that subsection, for the 2 grant cycles of the Agricultural Development Fund under that section following the effective date of this resolve, the commissioner shall give priority to applicants seeking funds to modify or construct slaughterhouse facilities to comply with the voluntary guidelines for enhanced humane handling and slaughtering practices developed under this resolve.