Louisiana state and federal laws regulate the sale of rabbit meat.
Federal and state laws govern the sale of rabbit meat in Louisiana. Federal law doesn't require rabbit meat to be inspected, but state law does. If you want to purchase rabbit meat, be sure that your seller is following the law, which is designed to protect animals from cruel treatment and poor living conditions and to protect consumers from bad meat.
Federal Law
The U.S. Department of Agriculture oversees the sale and inspection of meat in the United States. The sale of rabbit meat in the United States is legal year-round. Congress has mandated inspections of many types of meat, but has not made it mandatory to have rabbit meat inspected. The federal Agricultural Marketing Act makes rabbit-meat inspections voluntary. If your rabbit-meat seller chooses to have the federal government inspect his product, he can have his meat marked with the phrase "Inspected for Wholesomeness by the USDA." If he does not undergo voluntary inspection, his meat may be inspected at random by the Food and Drug Administration under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
State Law
Louisiana state law mandates that all meat that will be sold as human food be inspected. The Meat Inspection Law requires any person or business involved in slaughtering animals or processing meat to apply to have meat inspected. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry's Federal & State Meat Programs conduct inspections once an application has been received.
State Transport Law
In 2006, Louisiana Government Code RS 3:2097 made it illegal to transport sick livestock, including rabbits, or adulterated meat in the state. Adulterated meat contains bacteria or disease that could make you sick if you eat it. The law intends to protect consumers from eating bad meat and to protect animals from being kept in diseased conditions in the state. Anyone who knowingly transports sick animals or bad meat in Louisiana could face a fine ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 and be sentenced to between one and 10 years in prison.
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