CHAPTER 684
An Act to authorize the establishment of a State Meat Inspection Service
within the Department of Health, and to authorize the State Board
of Health, to make regulations regarding same.

2S ae ae pat 2a
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. The Virginia Department of Health is hereby authorized to
establish and operate a State Meat Inspection Service and to provide
such service to any qualified slaughter house, meat packing plant or
similar establishment in Virginia applying to the Commissioner of Health
for such inspection and to employ an inspection force for the purpose
of carrying out the provisions of this act.

§ 2. A slaughter house,- meat packing plant or similar establish-
ment may be considered as qualified to receive meat inspection when it
has complied with the standards established by the State Board of Health,
regarding the physical plant, equipment, sanitary facilities, operating
practices and refuse disposal facilities of such establishments.

§ 3. The State Board of Health is authorized to establish official
standards, adopt and enforce regulations dealing with plant construction
and equipment, sanitation and operating practices, ante mortem and post
mortem inspection of meat food animals, processing of meat and meat
food products, packaging, wrapping and transportation of such products,
disposal of condemned carcasses, portions thereof, and meat and meat
food products derived therefrom, marking of such products after inspec-
tion, qualifications and training of inspectors, and all other matters
directly pertaining to the slaughter, processing and inspection of animals
for food in any establishment operating under the State Meat Inspection
Service as provided in §§ 1 and 2. In no case shall the standards and
regulations herein authorized be below those required in the regulations
governing meat inspection of the United States Department of Agri-
culture.

§ 4. All meat and meat food products, inspected and passed and so
marked, either on the product or on the package by the service herein
authorized shall be considered as having complied with any rule, regu-
lation or ordinance of any county, city or town in Virginia, having to do
with the inspection of meat or meat food products for wholesomeness.

§ 5. The actual cost of inspection provided at each establishment
shall be paid by the establishment furnished such inspection. All monies
so collected shall be paid into the State treasury to the credit of the State
Department of Health and may be expended by it in carrying out the
provisions of this act.