1. (a) Custom Livestock Slaughterhouse or Meat Processing Establishment.

   1. (1) Each applicant for a license to operate a custom livestock slaughterhouse or a meat processing establishment shall submit copies of plans, in triplicate, drawn to scale, not necessarily blueprints, and with specifications detailing the finish of all walls, floors, ceilings, doors, and door casings; ceiling heights; dimensions of doorways; diameter of floor drains and principal drainage lines; and slope of window sills. The plans shall show the locations of features such as walls, windows, doorways, principal pieces of equipment, floor drains, principal drainage lines, lavatories, hand washing basins, hose connections for cleanup purposes, and conveyor rails. The plans shall indicate the use of each room of the establishment. There shall also be a plot plan, drawn to scale, showing features such as the limits of the establishment's premises, locations in outline of buildings on the premises, cardinal points of the compass, locations of wells, locations of septic tanks and lagoons, and roadways and railroads serving the establishment.
   2. (2) Each applicant for a license to operate a custom livestock slaughterhouse or a meat processing establishment shall submit, along with the plans described in subsection (a) of this section, a completed MPES Form 79-039 (Rev. 10/11), General Facility Notes. The applicant shall also submit a completed MPES Form 79-002A (Rev. 09/11), Custom Livestock Slaughter or Meat Processing Plant License Application. Applicants for licensure and renewal shall submit the fees required by sections 19010 and 19011 of the Food and Agricultural Code.
   3. (3) Each applicant for a license to operate a custom livestock slaughterhouse or a meat processing establishment shall submit official results of tests for potability of the establishment's water supply provided by the California Department of Health Services, from an agency or laboratory approved by the California Department of Health Services, or laboratory of the Department.
   4. (4) Persons intending new construction or major reconstruction may request information about plans, construction, and equipment from the Branch before submitting plans. Upon request, the Branch will provide the Meat Processing Establishment Plan Guidelines (Rev. 9/04), the Custom Livestock Slaughterhouse Plan Guidelines (Rev. 9/04), the Meat Processing Establishment Construction and Equipment Guidelines (Rev. 9/04), or the Custom Livestock Slaughterhouse Construction Guidelines (Rev. 9/04).
   5. (5) The Department shall provide a written notice to each applicant granted approval and licensure, specifying the establishment to which the same applies.
   6. (6) Each applicant shall provide written acknowledgement, such as a use permit, from the local zoning authority, that shows the zoning authority is aware of and approves the operation of a custom livestock slaughterhouse or a meat processing establishment at the proposed location.

2. (b) Registered Livestock Producer.

   1. (1) Each applicant to be a Registered Livestock Producer shall submit official results of tests for potability of the operation's water source, if utilized, provided by the California Department of Health Services, from an agency or laboratory approved by the California Department of Health Services, or laboratory of the Department.
   2. (2) Each applicant to be a Registered Livestock Producer shall provide written acknowledgement, such as a use permit, from the local zoning authority, that shows the zoning authority is aware of and approves the operation of a Mobile Slaughter Operation at the proposed location.
   3. (3) Each applicant to be a Registered Livestock Producer shall provide a plot plan, drawn to scale, showing features such as the limits of MPES inspection of the Registered Livestock Producer's premises, locations in outline of buildings on the premises, cardinal points of the compass, locations of wells, locations of septic tanks and lagoons.
   4. (4) Each applicant to be a Registered Livestock Producer shall have an acceptable grounds and pest control program, in accordance with the requirements under section 902.4 of this subchapter, to prevent the harborage and breeding of pests on the grounds and within the delineated inspectional limits of the Registered Livestock Producer's premises to prevent adulteration and/or contamination of custom carcass(es).
   5. (5) A Registered Livestock Producer shall make their delineated premises available for inspection during the activity of the Mobile Slaughter Operations.
   6. (6) The premises that will be subject to MPES inspection is the premises specified and depicted on the plot plan that shall be submitted by the Registered Livestock Producer before any slaughter activities defined in FAC section 19020 can be conducted on the Registered Livestock Producer's premises.
   7. (7) A MPES Inspector will conduct inspections on the delineated premises of each Registered Livestock Producer to ensure sewer (if applicable), water, sites, grounds, and pest control meet the requirements of the Department as defined in section 902.4.

   Mobile Slaughter Operation shall not commence until the following items have been submitted and accepted by MPES:

3. (c) Mobile Slaughter Operator.

   1. (1) A Mobile Slaughter Operator shall be licensed as a Mobile Slaughter Operation with MPES if the Mobile Slaughter Operator provides custom mobile slaughter services to Registered Livestock Producers, slaughters multiple livestock for multiple owners, and the slaughter occurs on the premises of one of the owners of the livestock or on the premises of the Registered Livestock Producer.
   2. (2) The Mobile Slaughter Operator responsible to operate a Mobile Slaughter Operation shall be licensed as a Livestock Meat Inspector with the Department and meet the requirements of an annual maintenance training provided by MPES.

   3. (3) Equipment Utilized by Mobile Slaughter Operations:

      1. (A) When required by the area supervisor, the following conditions, as may be found to be essential to the conduct of inspection and maintenance of sanitary conditions, shall be provided by each MPES Registered Livestock Producer or Licensed Mobile Slaughter Operation.
      2. (B) Pens, equipment, and assistants for conducting ante-mortem inspection and for separating, marking, and holding livestock marked “California Suspect” or “California Condemned” apart from passed livestock.
      3. (C) Natural or artificial lighting or a combination of natural and artificial lighting in order to conduct inspections.
      4. (D) Devices for retaining parts such as the head, tongue, tail, thymus, gland, and viscera to be used in the preparation of meat food products, until after the post-mortem examination is completed, so that they may be identified in case of condemnation of the carcass. The devices must have adequate dimensions to allow effective postmortem inspection of the retained parts. The devices must be constructed and maintained in compliance with the requirements of section 902.5 of this subchapter.
      5. (E) Equipment and receptacles for the handling of viscera of slaughtered livestock and the transportation of carcasses to prevent adulteration of contamination. The equipment and receptacles must meet the requirements of section 902.5 of this subchapter. Sanitizing agents in sufficient amounts to sanitize all knives, cleavers, saws, hooks, and pans used in slaughter operation, consistent with section 902.6.
      6. (F) Equipment and denaturing agent for use in the disposal of condemned articles in accordance with the regulations in this subchapter.

   4. (4) Transportation and Disposal of Edible and Inedible Materials:

      1. (A) Carcass shall be transported by a Mobile Slaughter Operation protected from environmental influences and in a leakproof container and tagged as prescribed by state and federal law.
      2. (B) Meat by-products must be transported by a Mobile Slaughter Operation in a clean and sanitary manner, consistent with state and federal law.
      3. (C) Inedible offal shall be transported by a Mobile Slaughter Operation to a MPES registered custom exempt operation in a manner that is consistent with state and federal law that also prevents contamination and adulteration of edible products.
      4. (D) All inedible products shall be disposed of on their premises or by other methods in compliance with all other applicable state and local environmental laws.
      5. (E) No slaughter of a California Suspect livestock identified during ante mortem inspection shall occur without immediate notification to a MPES Inspector. Suspect carcasses identified during postmortem inspection shall be segregated until determination of final disposition by a MPES Inspector. A Licensed Livestock Meat Inspector shall be present during slaughter to ensure humane handling and slaughter of livestock.
   5. (5) Each Mobile Slaughter Operation shall be inspected prior to being licensed for compliance with the regulations and shall make their operation available during custom mobile slaughter activities when contacted by the MPES Inspector for inspection.
   6. (6) Each MPES Registered Livestock Producer is required to ensure that the site of slaughter complies with the grounds and pest control requirements of this subchapter.

   7. (7) Mobile Slaughter Operation Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP):

      1. (A) Each MPES licensed Mobile Slaughter Operation shall develop, implement, and maintain a written GMP modeled after the GMP Guidelines for Meat, Poultry and Egg Safety Branch Licensed Mobile Slaughter Operation (Rev. 3/24) and sample GMP for Meat, Poultry and Egg Safety Branch Licensed Mobile Slaughter Operation (Rev. 3/24) incorporated by reference in section 900.1 of this chapter.
      2. (B) The forms GMP Guidelines for Meat, Poultry and Egg Safety Branch Licensed Mobile Slaughter Operation (Rev. 3/24) and sample GMP for Meat, Poultry and Egg Safety Branch Licensed Mobile Slaughter Operation (Rev. 3/24) incorporated by reference in section 900.1 shall be maintained and assessed by MPES on an annual basis.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 407, 18693, 18735, 18960, 18961, 19010 and 19011, Food and Agricultural Code. Reference: Sections 18991, 19000, 19001, 19012, 19014, 19020, 19021, 19022 and 19023, Food and Agricultural Code.

History

1. New section filed 5-31-2007; operative 6-30-2007 (Register 2007, No. 22).

2. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (b) filed 4-2-2012 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2012, No. 14).

3. Amendment of section and Note filed 9-25-2025; operative 1-1-2026 (Register 2025, No. 39).