PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Special permit regulating the slaughter, preparation and sale of one thousand or fewer poultry in a calendar year by an agricultural producer for the sale of whole raw poultry directly to the ultimate consumer at the producer's farm under chapter 16-170 WAC.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 69.07.103.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The department anticipates that legislation amending RCW 69.07.103 (SSB 5350) will be passed by the 2009 legislature. If the legislation does pass, the amendment of chapter 16-170 WAC will be necessary to comply with this legislation. The proposed legislation expands coverage under a special permit for slaughtering chickens to include poultry; and the special permit may be issued for one or two years expiring on December 31.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The Washington state department of agriculture (WSDA) is the sole regulator of this area but will keep United States Department of Agriculture, Washington state department of health and interested county officials informed on the proposed amendments.
Process for Developing New Rule: The department will notify and request participation on the proposed amendments from the food safety advisory committee, department of health, interested county health officials as well as those industry groups affected.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. Interested parties should direct any comments or questions on the proposed rule making to Claudia Coles, Program Manager, WSDA, Food Safety Program, P.O. Box 42560, Olympia, WA 98504-2560, phone (360) 902-1905, or e-mail WSDARulesComments@agr.wa.gov.
April 8, 2009
Jerry Buendel
Assistant Director