§ 72-a. Feeding of garbage, offal or carcasses to cattle, swine or poultry prohibited. 1. Garbage fed to cattle, swine or poultry contributes to the spread of vesicular exanthema, cholera, erysipelas, foot and mouth disease, trichinosis and other infectious animal diseases. Meat from animals so afflicted, when consumed by human beings, is a primary source of trichinosis and other human sickness. It is therefore declared to be the public policy of this state to prohibit the feeding of garbage, offal or carcasses to cattle, swine or poultry to assist in the eradication of animal diseases and for the protection of the public health and public welfare.

Attorney's Note

Under the New York Laws, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class A misdemeanorup to 364 daysup to $1,000
For details, see N.Y. Penal Law § 70.15

Terms Used In N.Y. Agriculture and Markets Law 72-A

  • cattle: means the entire family of bovidae. See N.Y. Agriculture and Markets Law 90-B
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • poultry: means a domesticated fowl including chickens, turkeys, waterfowl, guinea fowl and game birds commonly used for the production of meat and eggs. See N.Y. Agriculture and Markets Law 90-B
  • swine: means the entire super family of suidoidae, both feral and domestic. See N.Y. Agriculture and Markets Law 90-B

2. Definitions. When used in this section:

a. "Garbage" means putrescible animal and poultry wastes from the handling, processing, preparation, cooking and consumption of foods.

b. "Offal" means the waste parts of butchered animals or poultry.

c. "Carcasses" means the dead bodies of animals or poultry.

d. "Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, public or private corporation, public or private institution, public authority, municipal corporation and the state.

e. Notwithstanding anything in the preceding paragraphs of this subdivision to the contrary, animal feeds which have been heat rendered by a rendering plant at a temperature sufficient to make the product commercially sterile shall not be considered garbage, offal or carcasses within the meaning of this section.

3. a. It shall be unlawful for any person to feed garbage, offal, or carcasses, whether cooked or uncooked, to cattle, swine or poultry.

b. This section shall not apply to any individual who feeds garbage from his own household only, to cattle, swine or poultry on his own premises.

c. Violation of this section shall constitute a class A misdemeanor.