A person that slaughters animals and processes meat shall ensure that:

1. A. Animal slaughtering, meat processing, poultry processing, meat sales, and poultry sales are regulated and inspected in conformance with the applicable:

   1. (1) Federal laws;
   2. (2) Federal regulations;
   3. (3) State laws;
   4. (4) State regulations;
   5. (5) Local laws; and
   6. (6) Local regulations;

2. B. Cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, and other equine are slaughtered and processed in accordance with:

   1. (1) The Federal Meat Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. §§601—695; and
   2. (2) Applicable federal, State, and local laws and regulations;

3. C. Poultry are slaughtered and processed in accordance with:

   1. (1) The Poultry Products Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. §§451—471; and
   2. (2) Applicable federal, State, and local regulations;

4. D. When slaughtered and processed for food for the public, domesticated animals, including poultry and rabbits that are not required by federal law or regulation to be inspected by the United States Department of Agriculture, are:

   1. (1) Inspected by the:

      1. (a) United States Department of Agriculture under a voluntary inspection program; or
      2. (b) Maryland Department of Agriculture under a voluntary inspection program; and

   2. (2) Processed into human food while being regulated by:

      1. (a) The United States Department of Agriculture under a voluntary inspection program; or
      2. (b) A meat inspection program or poultry inspection program administered by the Maryland Department of Agriculture; and

5. E. When processing deer meat for charitable donation:

   1. (1) Any processed deer is legally harvested;

   2. (2) Gutting and skinning of the deer and butchering operations shall be separated by:

      1. (a) Time; or
      2. (b) Distance;

   3. (3) Processing other animal species is separated by:

      1. (a) Time; or
      2. (b) Distance;
   4. (4) Hanging meat carcasses are stored at an internal temperature of 41°F or less;

   5. (5) Deer is processed for distribution only as fresh or frozen:

      1. (a) Raw whole cuts; or
      2. (b) Raw, ground 100 percent venison;
   6. (6) Organ meat is not donated; and
   7. (7) A label containing cooking instructions is included.

Authority: Agriculture Article, §4-311; Health-General Article, §§18-102, 21-101, 21-102, 21-211, 21-234,
21-301, 21-304, 21-308, 21-309.1, 21-309.2, and 21-336; Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date: November 18, 1960

Amended effective January 1, 1964; June 8, 1965; July 1, 1966; April 1, 1967; December 1, 1970

Regulation .29 adopted effective September 21, 1979 (6:19 Md. R. 1519)

Regulation .29 amended effective December 14, 1979 (6:25 Md. R. 1980)

Chapter revised as an emergency provision effective August 2, 1989 (16:17 Md. R. 1882); adopted permanently effective December 25, 1989 (16:25 Md. R. 2711)

Regulation .01B amended effective September 28, 1992 (19:19 Md. R. 1708)

Regulation .02B amended effective September 28, 1992 (19:19 Md. R. 1708); April 3, 2000 (27:6 Md. R. 641)

Regulation .31 amended effective September 28, 1992 (19:19 Md. R. 1708)

Regulation .33A amended effective March 4, 1991 (18:4 Md. R. 447); September 28, 1992 (19:19 Md. R. 1708); October 6, 1997 (24:20 Md. R. 1404)

Regulations .01 — .37 repealed and new Regulations .01 — .20 adopted effective November 22, 2004 (31:23 Md. R. 1652)

Regulation .02B amended effective May 4, 2009 (36:9 Md. R. 651)

Regulation .03B amended effective May 4, 2009 (36:9 Md. R. 651)

Regulation .08A amended effective May 4, 2009 (36:9 Md. R. 651)

Regulation .09B amended effective May 4, 2009 (36:9 Md. R. 651)

Regulation .10D amended effective May 4, 2009 (36:9 Md. R. 651)

Regulation .17A amended effective May 4, 2009 (36:9 Md. R. 651)

Regulation .19C, D amended effective May 4, 2009 (36:9 Md. R. 651)

Regulation .19G adopted effective May 4, 2009 (36:9 Md. R. 651)

Regulation .21 adopted effective May 4, 2009 (36:9 Md. R. 651)

Chapter revised as an emergency provision effective October 1, 2010 (37:23 Md. R. 1607); revised permanently effective January 24, 2011 (38:2 Md. R. 83)

Regulation .02B amended effective March 5, 2012 (39:4 Md. R. 337); January 6, 2014 (40:26 Md. R. 2163); February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 272)

Regulation .03B amended effective February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 272)

Regulation .04 amended effective March 5, 2012 (39:4 Md. R. 337)

Regulation .05 amended effective March 5, 2012 (39:4 Md. R. 337)

Regulation .07B amended effective March 5, 2012 (39:4 Md. R. 337)

Regulation .08A amended effective March 5, 2012 (39:4 Md. R. 337)

Regulation .09D amended effective March 5, 2012 (39:4 Md. R. 337); February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 272)

Regulation .13A amended effective February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 272)

Regulation .14 amended effective March 5, 2012 (39:4 Md. R. 337)

Regulation .14B amended effective February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 272)

Regulation .15A, D amended effective February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 272)

Regulation .16A amended effective March 5, 2012 (39:4 Md. R. 337); February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 272)

Regulation .17A amended effective March 5, 2012 (39:4 Md. R. 337)

Regulation .17D, E adopted effective March 5, 2012 (39:4 Md. R. 337)

Regulation .17E amended effective January 6, 2014 (40:26 Md. R. 2163)

Regulation .18 amended effective February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 272)

Regulation .19A amended effective March 5, 2012 (39:4 Md. R. 337)

Regulation .20C, D amended effective March 5, 2012 (39:4 Md. R. 337); January 6, 2014 (40:26 Md. R. 2163)

Regulation .20E adopted effective January 6, 2014 (40:26 Md. R. 2163)

Regulation .20E adopted effective March 5, 2012 (39:4 Md. R. 337)

Regulation .22 repealed effective March 5, 2012 (39:4 Md. R. 337)

Regulation .23G amended effective January 6, 2014 (40:26 Md. R. 2163)

Regulation .28C amended effective February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 272)

Chapter revised effective August 5, 2024 (51:15 Md. R. 708)

Regulation 15A, B, F amended effective January 5, 2026 (52:26 Md. R. 1309)

Regulation .16A, C amended effective January 5, 2026 (52:26 Md. R. 1309)