Committee backs DACF rule to clarify on‑farm poultry processing under 1,000‑bird exemption

The Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry voted unanimously in work session to report LD 2238 — a department‑proposed major substantive rulemaking — as “ought to pass.” The rule replaces an obsolete Chapter 348 by defining sanitary facility standards and verification requirements for producers processing up to 1,000 whole poultry under the statutory exemption from continuous inspection.

Craig Leine, director of the Bureau of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources, told the committee the rule was provisionally adopted after a public comment period and pared down to be outcome‑focused and flexible for small producers. Under the final rule DACF presented, eligible producers will register rather than hold a license; they must demonstrate access to verifiably clean water at required temperatures and maintain sanitary facilities and procedures. The department emphasized annual inspections and outcome‑based guidance rather than prescriptive plumbing or sewage specifications.

“We tried to keep the proposed rule accessible and straightforward: be clear about the food‑safety goal, but where possible let farmers determine the best way to meet it,” Leine said. Program staff clarified that producers operating under the exemption will be able to sell into certain local markets but the rule does not change federal inspection requirements for larger processors, and products shipped outside allowed channels (for example, into countries with different import rules) remain subject to other standards.

Committee members asked for specifics on labeling and on which parts of poultry (for example, feet) are permitted for sale. Department meat and poultry program staff said feet and certain organs would not be allowed for human sale under the exemption because they are difficult to clean and could raise food‑safety risk; producers may use such materials for personal consumption or in licensed pet‑food channels, which are regulated separately.

The committee then moved the rule in a unanimous roll‑call work‑session vote (9‑0 among members present). DACF said it would continue outreach to producers on compliance and implementation.