Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 72 Part 1.djvu/904

This page needs to be proofread.
[72 Stat. 862]
PUBLIC LAW 85-000—MMMM. DD, 1958
[72 Stat. 862]

862 62 Stat. 1061.

66 Stat. 575.

PUBLIC LAW 8 5 - 7 6 5 - A U G. 27, 1958

[72

ST AT.

SEC. 3. (a) Subsection (d) of section 1 of the Act of June 28, 1948 (16 U.S.C. 407m), is hereby amended by striking out the colon and inserting in lieu thereof immediately before the proviso the following: ", and certain land and buildings adjoining 'project E', being known and numbered as 8, 10, and 12 North Second Street and 201, 203, 205, 207, 209, 211-213, 215, 217, 219, and 221 Market Street:". (b) The first sentence of section 6 of such Act of June 28, 1948 (16 U.S.C. 407r), is amended by striking out "$7,700,000" and inserting in lieu thereof "$7,950,000". Approved August 27, 1958. Public Law 85-765

August 27, 1958 [H. R. 8308]

Humane methods of slaughter.

P r o c u r e m e nt, e t c., by U. S. after June 30, 1960.

AN ACT To establish the use of humane methods of slaughter of livestock as a policy of the United States, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Congress finds that the use of humane methods in the slaughter of livestock prevents needless suffering; results in safer and better working conditions for persons engaged in the slaughtering industry; brings about improvement of products and economies in slaughtering operations; and produces other benefits for producers, processors, and consumers which tend to expedite an orderly flow of livestock and livestock products in interstate and foreign commerce. I t is therefore declared to be the policy of the United States that the slaughtering of livestock and the handling of livestock in connection with slaughter shall be carried out only by humane methods. SEC. 2, No method of slaughtering or handling in connection with slaughtering shall be deemed to comply with the public policy of the United States unless it is humane. Either of the following two methods of slaughtering and handling are hereby found to be humane: (a) in the case of cattle, calves, horses, mules, sheep, swine, and other livestock, all animals are rendered insensible to pain by a single blow or gunshot or an electrical, chemical or other means that is rapid and effective, before being shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut; or (b) by slaughtering in accordance with the ritual requirements of the Jewish faith or any other religious faith that prescribes a method of slaughter whereby the animal suffers loss of consciousness by anemia of the brain caused by the simultaneous and instantaneous severance of the carotid arteries with a sharp instrument. SEC. 3. The public policy declared herein shall be taken into consideration by all agencies of the Federal Government in connection with all procurement and price support programs and operations and after June 30, 1960, no agency or instrumentality of the United States shall contract for or procure any livestock products produced or processed by any slaughterer or processor which in any of its plants or in any plants of any slaughterer or processor with which it is affiliated slaughters or handles in connection with slaughter livestock by any methods other than methods designated and approved by the Secretary of Agriculture (hereinafter referred to as the Secretary) pursuant to section 4 hereof: Provided, That during the period of any national emergency declared by the President or the Congress, the limitations on procurement required by this section may be modified by the President to the extent determined by him to be necessary