Section 19020.
Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 19020.
in effectThis chapter does not apply to any of the following:
(a)
Owners who slaughter, on their own premises, livestock of their own raising where the meat is not for sale, but used exclusively by the owners, members of the owner’s household, the owner’s employees, and nonpaying guests.
(b)
A mobile slaughter operator who provides services to an owner as specified in subdivision (a) where the slaughter occurs on the owner’s premises and the meat is thereafter transported for the owner to an establishment for further processing.
(c)
(1)
A mobile slaughter operator who provides
services to an owner of livestock and slaughters multiple livestock from multiple owners, if the slaughter occurs on the premises of one of the owners of the livestock or on the premises of the producer, subject to the following conditions:
(A)
Before the slaughter, if
the livestock slaughtered are cattle, the cattle are inspected pursuant to Section 21051.
(B)
After the slaughter, the meat is transported for the owner to an establishment for further processing.
(C)
The meat is not for sale, but is used exclusively by the owner, members of the owner’s household, the owner’s employees, and nonpaying guests.
(D)
The producer that has mobile slaughter operations conducted on their premises shall register with the department and maintain records pursuant to this chapter.
(E)
The
mobile slaughter operator shall be licensed as a custom livestock slaughter operation with the department pursuant to this chapter.
(F)
The mobile slaughter operator shall be licensed as a livestock meat inspector with the department pursuant to this chapter and shall complete annual training as provided by the Meat, Poultry and Egg Safety Branch of the department.
(G)
The mobile slaughter operator licensed with the department shall maintain records pursuant to this chapter and the records shall be made available, upon request, to a department inspector, investigator, or peace officer.
(H)
The premises or the mobile slaughter facility where slaughter is conducted shall have an adequate sewer, facilities, and potable water.
(2)
The exemption in paragraph (1) shall apply to the slaughter of more than one head of livestock on a single premises in a calendar year.
(3)
Slaughter activities conducted, including the proper disposition of inedible materials, pursuant to the exemption in paragraph (1) shall comply with all other applicable state and federal environmental and zoning laws.
(4)
For purposes of this
article, the following terms shall apply:
(A)
“Livestock” means any cattle, sheep, goat, and swine used for human food.
(B)
“Producer”
means the person who owned and was responsible for feeding and caring for the livestock before its sale and slaughter on the person’s premises.
(d)
Persons solely engaged in cutting, wrapping, and otherwise processing farm or custom slaughter livestock or the processing and sale of fresh meats derived from United States Department of Agriculture inspected carcasses, except the curing, smoking, and preparing of cooked or smoked sausages or cooked pork products that are not exempted under subdivision (b) of Section 18814.
(e)
Livestock slaughter and meat and poultry processing inspected by the United States Department of Agriculture.
References
referencesCal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 21051.
referencesCal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 18814.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026