Volume 72 · 863
Public Law 85–765
To establish the use of humane methods of slaughter of livestock as a policy of the United States, and for other purposes.
Approved August 27, 1958
Statutory text
AN ACT
To establish the use of humane methods of slaughter of livestock as a policy of the United States, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That the Congress finds that the use of humane methods in the slaughter of livestock prevents needless suffering; results in safer and better working conditions for persons engaged in the slaughtering industry; brings about improvement of products and economies in slaughtering operations; and produces other benefits for producers, processors, and consumers which tend to expedite an orderly flow of livestock and livestock products in interstate and foreign commerce. It is therefore declared to be the policy of the United States that the slaughtering of livestock and the handling of livestock in connection with slaughter shall be carried out only by humane methods.
Sec. 2.
No method of slaughtering or handling in connection with slaughtering shall be deemed to comply with the public policy of the United States unless it is humane. Either of the following two methods of slaughtering and handling are hereby found to be humane:
in the case of cattle, calves, horses, mules, sheep, swine, and other livestock, all animals are rendered insensible to pain by a single blow or gunshot or an electrical, chemical or other means that is rapid and effective, before being shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut; or
by slaughtering in accordance with the ritual requirements of the Jewish faith or any other religious faith that prescribes a method of slaughter whereby the animal suffers loss of consciousness by anemia of the brain caused by the simultaneous and instantaneous severance of the carotid arteries with a sharp instrument.
Sec. 3.
The public policy declared herein shall be taken into consideration
Procurement, etc., by U.S. after June 30, 1960.
by all agencies of the Federal Government in connection with all procurement and price support programs and operations and after June 30, 1960, no agency or instrumentality of the United States shall contract for or procure any livestock products produced or processed by any slaughterer or processor which in any of its plants or in any plants of any slaughterer or processor with which it is affiliated slaughters or handles in connection with slaughter livestock by any methods other than methods designated and approved by the Secretary of Agriculture (hereinafter referred to as the Secretary) pursuant to section 4 hereof: Provided, That during the period of any national emergency declared by the President or the Congress, the limitations on procurement required by this section may be modified by the President to the extent determined by him to be necessary to meet essential procurement needs during such emergency. For the purposes of this section a slaughterer or processor shall be deemed to be affiliated with another slaughterer or processor if it controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such other slaughterer or processor. After June 30, 1960, each supplier from which any livestock products are procured by any agency of the Federal Government shall be required by such agency to make such statement of eligibility under this section to supply such livestock products as, if false, will subject the maker thereof to prosecution, title 18, United States Code,
section 287.
Sec. 4.
In furtherance of the policy expressed herein the Secretary is authorized and directed—
Authority of Secretary of Agriculture.
to conduct, assist, and foster research, investigation, and experimentation to develop and determine methods of slaughter and the handling of livestock in connection with slaughter which are practicable with reference to the speed and scope of slaughtering operations and humane with reference to other existing methods and then current scientific knowledge;
on or before March 1, 1959, and at such times thereafter as he deems advisable, to designate methods of slaughter and of handling in connection with slaughter which, with respect to each species of livestock, conform to the policy stated herein. If he deems it more effective, the Secretary may make any such designation by designating methods which are not in conformity with such policy. Designations by the Secretary subsequent to
Publication in F. R.
March 1, 1959, shall become effective for purposes of section 3 hereof 180 days after their publication in the Federal Register;
to provide suitable means of identifying the carcasses of animals inspected and passed under the Meat Inspection Act (21 U. S. C. 71 and the following) that have been slaughtered
in accordance with the public policy declared herein. Handling in connection with such slaughtering which necessarily accompanies the method of slaughter described in subsection (b) of this section shall be deemed to comply with the public policy specified by this section.
Sec. 5.
To assist in implementing the provisions of section 4, the
Advisory Committee.
Secretary is authorized to establish an advisory committee. The functions of the Advisory Committee shall be to consult with the Secretary and other appropriate officials of the Department of Agriculture and to make recommendations relative to (a) the research authorized in section 4; (b) obtaining the cooperation of the public, producers, farm organizations, industry groups, humane associations, and Federal and State agencies in the furtherance of such research and the adoption of improved methods; and (c) the designations required by section 4. The Committee shall be composed of twelve members, of whom one shall be an officer or employee of the Department of Agriculture designated by the Secretary (who shall serve as Chairman); two shall be representatives of national organizations of slaughterers; one shall be a representative of the trade-union movement engaged in packinghouse work; one shall be a representative of the general public; two shall be representatives of livestock growers; one shall be a representative of the poultry industry; two shall be representatives or national organizations of the humane movement; one shall be a representative of a national professional veterinary organization; and one shall be a person familiar with the requirements of religious faiths with respect to slaughter. The Department of Agriculture shall assist the Committee with such research personnel and facilities as the Department can make available. Committee members other than the Chairman shall not be deemed to be employees of the United States and are not entitled to compensation but the Secretary is authorized to allow their travel expenses and subsistence expenses in connection with their attendance at regular or special meetings of the Committee. The Committee shall meet at least once each year and at the call of the Secretary and shall from time to time submit to the Secretary such reports and recommendations with respect to new or improved methods as it believes should be taken into consideration by him in making the designations required by section 4 and the Secretary shall make all such reports available to the public.
Sec. 6.
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit, abridge, or
Religious freedom.
in any way hinder the religious freedom of any person or group. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, in order to protect freedom of religion, ritual slaughter and the handling or other preparation of livestock for ritual slaughter are exempted from the terms of this Act. For the purposes of this section the
“Ritual slaughter”.
term “ritual slaughter” means slaughter in accordance with section 2 (b).
Approved August 27, 1958.