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HR 4356 111th Congress House Agriculture and Food Animal and plant health Animal protection and human-animal relationships Food supply, safety, and labeling Livestock

Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act

Introduced: December 16, 2009 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 29, 2010
Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.
Dec 16, 2009
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Dec 16, 2009
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act - States that it is U.S. policy that all nonambulatory cattle in interstate and foreign commerce be immediately and humanely euthanized when such cattle become nonambulatory.

Amends the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act of 1958 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to promulgate regulations providing for the humane treatment, handling, and disposition of nonambulatory cattle by a covered entity, including a requirement that nonambulatory cattle be humanely euthanized.

Requires an entity to: (1) humanely euthanize nonambulatory cattle (while not limiting the Secretary's ability to test nonambulatory cattle for disease, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy); and (2) not move nonambulatory cattle while such cattle is conscious, and ensure that such cattle remains unconscious until death.

Prohibits an inspector at an establishment covered by the Federal Meat Inspection Act to pass nonambulatory cattle, carcass, or carcass parts through inspection. Requires an inspector or other employee at such establishment to label such material as "inspected and condemned."

What's happening now March 29, 2010

Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2