LEFTOVERS FOR LIVESTOCK

FLORIDA
Florida allows the feeding of animal-derived waste to swine provided that it has been properly heat-treated and fed by
a licensed facility. Food waste that consists of only fruit or vegetable matter may be fed to swine without being heattreated.
Individuals may feed household garbage to their own swine without heat-treating it and without obtaining a
permit.
Fla. Stat. §§ 585.01, 585.50–.59 (2015)
Animals covered
Definition of
“garbage”
Prohibitions
Licensure
Enforcement
Treatment requirements
Relevant state regulatory
body
Swine
All refuse matter, animal or vegetable, byproducts of a restaurant, kitchen, or
slaughterhouse; and shall include every accumulation of animal, fruit, or vegetable
matter, liquid, or otherwise. “Garbage” shall also include “swill” as commonly used;
provided, however, “garbage” shall not include fruit or vegetable matter which does not
contain or has not been in contact or mixed with meat or meat parts. § 585.01 (2015).
No feeding untreated garbage to swine. Exception for individuals feeding household
garbage. §§ 585.01, 585.50–.59 (2015).
An individual or facility must obtain an annual permit from the state before feeding
garbage to swine. § 585.51 (2015).
The department of agriculture may refuse revoke, cancel, or suspend the license of any
individual or facility that violates the garbage-feeding rule. § 585.53 (2015).
Garbage must be heated, cooked, treated, or processed under such temperature,
pressure, process, or method and for such period of time as is necessary to render
garbage free of disease before being fed to swine. § 585.50 (2015).
Florida Department of Agriculture, Division of Animal Industry (§ 585.01 (2015)), http://
www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Animal-Industry.
August 2016 Leftovers for Livestock: A Legal Guide for Using Excess Food as Animal Feed |20