S.B. 823 (S-1): FIRST ANALYSIS FEEDING GARBAGE TO SWINE
Senate Bill 823 (Substitute S-1 as passed by the Senate) Sponsor: Senator Philip E. Hoffman
Committee: Agriculture and Forestry Date Completed: 7-9-96
Public Act 173 of 1953 provides for the licensure of people who feed garbage to swine, prescribes the treatment and transportation of garbage fed to swine, requires the Department of Agriculture to enforce the Act, and specifies a criminal penalty for violations of the Act. (In this context, “garbage” is defined as “putrescible [subject to decomposition] animal, poultry, fish and vegetable wastes resulting from the slaughter, processing, handling, preparation, cooking or consumption of foods including animal, poultry and fish carcasses or parts thereof”.) According to the Department, this law was enacted to control the disease that might result if swine eat improperly treated garbage; currently, however, swine producers do not feed garbage to swine and there are no licensed “garbage feeders” in this State. Therefore, it has been suggested that Public Act 173 be eliminated.
be consistent with recent amendments to the Animal Industry Act made by Public Act 369 of 1996. Among many other things, that Act prohibits a person from exposing swine to garbage or using garbage, offal, or carcasses as feed for swine. The Act defines “garbage” as “any animal origin products, including those of poultry and fish origin, or other animal material resulting from the handling, processing, preparation, cooking, and consumption of food”. Garbage does not, however, include rendered products (animal waste material that has been ground and heat-treated to a minimum temperature of 230 degrees Fahrenheit). In addition, according to the Department, a person could still get a Federal permit to feed waste material to swine if it did not fall within the definition of “garbage”.
Legislative Analyst: S. Margules
The bill would repeal Public Act 173 of 1953. MCL 287.401-287.409
(Please note: The arguments contained in this analysis originate from sources outside the Senate Fiscal Agency. The Senate Fiscal Agency neither supports nor opposes legislation.)
Since no licenses are being issued to feed garbage to swine, the bill would have no fiscal impact.
Fiscal Analyst: A. Rich
According to the Department of Agriculture, swine producers are no longer willing to take the risk involved with feeding garbage to swine, even if they could obtain a license to do so. Since no licenses are being issued, and garbage-feeding is not being practiced within the swine industry, it would make sense to remove Public Act 173 from the books. Furthermore, repealing this law would
A9596\S823A
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
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