HOUSE MEMORIAL 78

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013

INTRODUCED BY

Alonzo Baldonado

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THAT THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, THE DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISH AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT COLLABORATE TO AMEND THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE RULES TO ALLOW DONATIONS TO THE NEEDY OF MEAT THAT IS NOT INSPECTED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

     WHEREAS, emergency shelters, homeless shelters and food banks provide much-needed sustenance to needy individuals and families; and

     WHEREAS, many emergency shelters, homeless shelters and food banks in New Mexico function purely based on the donations they receive; and

     WHEREAS, it is not uncommon for individuals to donate meat from the slaughter of their own livestock or from wild game; and

     WHEREAS, United States department of agriculture food safety inspection service regulations prohibit the donation of meat that has not been inspected by the United States department of agriculture; and

     WHEREAS, game management agencies around the nation sometimes confiscate wild game, and without a change to the United States department of agriculture rule, the resulting meat may not be donated to the needy; and

     WHEREAS, this rule prohibiting the donation of certain meat products has the dual negative impact of depriving the needy of food and wasting food;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the United States department of agriculture, the department of game and fish and the department of environment be requested to collaborate to amend the United States department of agriculture rule to allow donations to the needy of meat that is not inspected by the United States department of agriculture; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the United States secretary of agriculture, the governor, the director of the New Mexico department of agriculture, the secretary of environment and the director of the department of game and fish.