§ 21-2-22 - Inspection of animals and milk.
SECTION 21-2-22
§ 21-2-22 Inspection of animals and milk.– (a) Responsibility for the inspection of herds and animals of milk producerswithin the state of Rhode Island shall be imposed upon the director ofenvironmental management who shall enforce compliance on the part of RhodeIsland producers with the provisions of, and as provided in chapters 4, 5, 6,and 7 of title 4. With respect to the herds of producers of milk sold ordestined for sale in the state of Rhode Island whose herds or establishmentsare located outside the state, it shall be the duty of the director ofenvironmental management, either personally or through the director'ssubordinates or veterinarians or technicians approved by the director, to makeinspection of the herds and animals, wherever located, to assure himself orherself that they comply in all respects with the same requirements pertainingto the herds and animals of Rhode Island producers under the provisions ofchapters 4, 5, 6, and 7 of title 4, or in the event that the director issatisfied as to the competence and reliability of an entire inspection serviceor of individual inspectors of cattle available in the state where the herds orestablishments of the out-of-state producers are located, he or she may approvethe service or the inspectors, as the case may be, and solicit and accept thecertification of those inspectors to the health of the herds and animals ofout-of-state producers furnishing milk to out-of-state milk plant permitteesand compliance with the standards provided for Rhode Island producers;provided, that in the case of any producer outside of the state of Rhode Islandwho desires certification for the production of grade A milk, all inspectionsfor animal disease and compliance with the provisions of chapters 4, 5, 6, and7 of title 4, and for compliance with the requirements for grade A producersprovided in § 21-2-6(b) – (d), shall be made by the director ofhealth himself or herself, his or her own subordinates, or by veterinarians ortechnicians approved by him or her. It shall be the duty of the director ofhealth to procure any necessary information with respect to the herds ofproducers located outside the state of Rhode Island, milk from which isprocessed or sold in Rhode Island, required to ensure that the herdssubstantially comply with the same requirements as in the case of Rhode Islandproducers imposed upon them by the provisions of chapters 4, 5, 6, and 7 oftitle 4.
(b) The director of the department of environmentalmanagement shall provide all information and reports necessary to the directorof department of health for the enforcement of chapter 6.1 of title 4 and thischapter.