Section 17.20.017 - Inspection of processed meat products(a) The department may adopt regulations to establish a program of state inspection for the processing and sale of meat products, including meat products from amenable species.(b) The department may administer and enforce regulations adopted under (a) of this section for a program of state inspection for the processing and sale of meat products from amenable species only if the program is approved by the federal government.(c) Regulations adopted by the department under this section must impose requirements that are not less stringent than the requirements imposed under 21 U.S.C. 601 - 695 (Federal Meat Inspection Act) and 7 U.S.C. 1901 - 1907 (Humane Methods of Slaughter Act).(d) Subject to (b) of this section, and except as provided in (e) of this section, if the department adopts regulations to establish a program of state inspection for the processing and sale of meat products, the department shall (1) license facilities that process meat products for sale to the public;(2) adopt license requirements and fees for facilities that process meat products for sale to the public; and(3) use officers and employees of the department to inspect facilities that are licensed under this subsection.(e) The department may not establish, administer, or enforce a program of inspection under this section for facilities that process meat products from equines.(f) In this section,(1) "amenable species" has the meaning given in 21 U.S.C. 601 (w);(2) "equine" means a member of the family Equidae.Added by SLA 2022, ch. 64,sec. 4, eff. 7/1/2022.