The owner of any flock of poultry may register such flock with the Commissioner of Agriculture for the purpose of placing such flock in the National Poultry Improvement Plan program. The annual fee to register a flock of less than one hundred fowls shall be twenty-five dollars and for any flock of one hundred or more fowls, fifty dollars. The commissioner shall waive any such registration fee for flock owners who are eighteen years of age or younger. The owner of any registered flock shall be responsible for all laboratory fees charged for any testing necessary to comply with the National Poultry Improvement Plan program standards or to qualify such flock for an avian disease status. Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to any flock tested solely to qualify for entry into fairs, shows or exhibitions. Whenever a flock fails to comply with the National Poultry Improvement Plan program standards or fails to qualify for an avian disease status, the owner of such flock shall not sell or offer for sale any poultry until such standards or status are met, as determined by the commissioner or the commissioner’s designated agent. The commissioner may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to implement the provisions of this section.

(1949 Rev., S. 3369; 1959, P.A. 225, S. 1; 637, S. 2; 1961, P.A. 67; 1967, P.A. 779; 1969, P.A. 72; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 446, 448; P.A. 88-90; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e); P.A. 04-189, S. 1; P.A. 17-184, S. 2.)

History: 1959 acts specified that examinations and tests to be without expense to owner “except the costs of laboratory tests” and replaced commissioner of agriculture with commissioner of agriculture, conservation and natural resources; 1961 act replaced commissioner of agriculture, conservation and natural resources with commissioner of agriculture and natural resources; 1967 act specified that laboratory costs are “pro-rata” as determined by commissioner; 1969 act allowed waiver of laboratory charge when birds owned by “fanciers of poultry under the age of eighteen or over the age of sixty-five”; 1971 act replaced commissioner of agriculture and natural resources with commissioner of agriculture; P.A. 88-90 substituted determination of the cost of laboratory tests by the department of pathobiology with the approval of the commissioner for determination by the commissioner and provided for collection of such costs by the department of pathobiology; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner of Agriculture with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 17-184 deleted provisions re examination and certification of flocks and added provisions re registration of flocks for purpose of placing flocks in National Poultry Improvement Plan program and adoption of regulations by the commissioner.