LEFTOVERS FOR LIVESTOCK

NEW YORK
New York allows the feeding of animal-derived waste to cattle, swine, and poultry provided that it has been properly
heat-treated by a rendering facility. All other waste may be fed to cattle, swine, and poultry without heat-treatment.
Individuals may feed household garbage to their own cattle, swine, and poultry without heat-treating it.
N.Y. AGM. Law §§ 72-a, 76 (2015)
Animals covered
Definition of
“garbage”
Prohibitions
Licensure
Cattle, swine, and poultry
Putrescible animal and poultry wastes from the handling, processing, preparation,
cooking and consumption of foods. § 72-a (2015).
No feeding untreated garbage to cattle, swine, or poultry. Exception for individuals
feeding household garbage to cattle, swine, or poultry. § 72-a (2015).
N/A
Violation of the garbage-feeding rule is a class A misdemeanor. § 72-a (2015).
Enforcement
Treatment requirements
Relevant state regulatory
body
The department of agriculture may quarantine the premises on which animals are kept if
it has reasonable grounds to believe that the animals are being fed untreated garbage. §
76 (2015).
Food waste that is heat rendered by a rendering plant at a temperature sufficient to
make the product commercially sterile is not considered “garbage” and may be fed to
animals. § 72-a (2015).
New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets (§ 76 (2015)),
http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/.
41| Leftovers for Livestock: A Legal Guide for Using Excess Food as Animal Feed August 2016