Chapter 783 Oregon Laws 2001

AN ACT

SB 41

Relating to elk farming; and declaring an emergency.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. As used in the statute laws of this state, “domesticated elk” means North American wapiti (Cervus canadensis), Manitoban elk (Cervus elaphus manitobensis), Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni), Roosevelt elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti) and Tule elk (Cervus elaphus nannodes) that are born and raised in captivity.

SECTION 2. The slaughter of domesticated elk raised pursuant to a license issued by the State Fish and Wildlife Commission under ORS 497.228 and the processing and sale of meat and by-products from those domesticated elk are legal. The slaughter and processing must be conducted in an official exotic animal establishment inspected and certified for wholesomeness by the United States Department of Agriculture or a successor agency. To the extent consistent with federal regulations governing official exotic animal establishments, the State Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the State Department of Fish and Wildlife, shall adopt all rules necessary and proper for the State Department of Agriculture to regulate the processing and sale of domesticated elk meat and domesticated elk by-products described in this section.

SECTION 3. The State Department of Agriculture shall implement rules adopted pursuant to section 2 of this 2001 Act on or before June 30, 2002.

SECTION 4. Section 2 of this 2001 Act is repealed January 2, 2008. The repeal of section 2 of this 2001 Act does not affect the ability of the State Department of Agriculture to levy a civil penalty for a violation occurring prior to January 2, 2008, of a rule described under section 3 of this 2001 Act.

SECTION 5. The State Department of Fish and Wildlife and the State Department of Agriculture shall jointly report to an appropriate committee of the Seventy-fourth Legislative Assembly regarding the results of allowing the processing and sale of meat and by-products from domesticated elk under section 2 of this 2001 Act.

SECTION 6. This 2001 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2001 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.

Approved by the Governor July 18, 2001

Filed in the office of Secretary of State July 18, 2001

Effective date September 1, 2001

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