[§159-2]  Findings and declaration of
necessity.  It is hereby declared that the meat industry is a paramount
agricultural industry of this State and the production and marketing of meat is
an enterprise that is of significant importance to the economy of this State
and to the health of the consuming public.  It is essential to the public
health and welfare of consumers that they be protected by assuring that meat
and meat products distributed to them are wholesome, not adulterated, and
properly marked, labeled, and packaged.  Unwholesome, adulterated, or
misbranded meat or meat products are injurious to the public health and
welfare, destroy markets for wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled and
packaged meat and meat products and result in sundry losses to livestock
producers and processors of meat and meat products, as well as injury to
consumers.  The unwholesome, adulterated, mislabeled, or deceptively packaged
articles can be sold at lower prices and compete unfairly with the wholesome,
unadulterated, and properly labeled and packaged articles, to the detriment of
consumers and the public generally.  It is hereby found that regulation by the
department of agriculture and cooperation by this State with the United States
Department of Agriculture as contemplated by this Hawaii Meat Inspection Act is
appropriate to protect the health and welfare of consumers and otherwise to
effectuate the purposes of this chapter.



Congress enacted the Meat Inspection Act in
1907 (Public Law 59-242), as amended by the Wholesome Meat Act in 1967 (Public
Law 90-201) which is now redesignated as the Federal Meat Inspection Act.  The
Federal Meat Inspection Act is intended to protect the consuming public from
adulterated or misbranded meat and meat products and to assist the states in
their efforts to accomplish this objective.  The Federal Meat Inspection Act
authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to furnish financial and related
assistance to states for the administration of meat inspection programs which
conform to established federal standards up to fifty per cent of the estimated
total cost of the cooperative program.  Presently, the meat processing industry
in this State is not subject to any meat inspection law or rules and
regulations that meet the minimum federal requirement in this area.  This
State, in order to qualify for the cooperative program, must demonstrate
"progressive action" by November 15, 1969; and, further, all
physical facilities must be upgraded in accordance with the established federal
standards by November 15, 1970.  Failure to comply with the federal
standards prescribed by the Federal Meat Inspection Act will result in federal
control of the meat and meat processing industries of the State.  Accordingly,
the State deems it to be in the best interest of the public health and welfare
to take those steps as are necessary to qualify for federal financial and
related assistance for the administration of a meat inspection program which
conforms to federal standards prescribed in the Federal Meat Inspection Act. [L
1969, c 214, pt of §1]