Any rule, regulation or promulgation of the Health Department or the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to the contrary notwithstanding, any domestically raised rabbit may be slaughtered, butchered, processed, packaged, labeled and inspected for sale as human food at any slaughterhouse, abattoir, meat packing plant, processing plant or like facility in this state approved by the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries pursuant to the requirements of this chapter as hereinafter authorized.

The State Board of Agriculture and Industries is hereby authorized to promulgate and adopt rules and regulations providing for inspection for wholesomeness of domestically raised rabbits, rabbit meat and rabbit meat food products at any adequately equipped meat or meat food products slaughtering or processing plant or establishment where domesticated rabbits are killed, dressed or processed for human food to the end that domesticated rabbit meat and rabbit meat food products may be sold commercially for human food and that consumers thereof will be supplied with a wholesome and healthful product. Such rules and regulations shall provide for the inspection of rabbit carcasses and parts thereof, as well as any rabbit food products offered for sale and distribution in this state and for the seizure, condemnation and destruction of rabbits, rabbit carcasses and parts thereof not in compliance with rules and regulations adopted under authority of this chapter. Rules and regulations as authorized in this section shall also be promulgated and adopted to govern the preparation, packaging, labeling and transportation of rabbit meat and rabbit meat food products as well as the cleanliness and sanitation of the premises on which rabbits and rabbit meat food products are slaughtered, processed, packaged, labeled or sold or offered for sale for human consumption, together with provisions for withdrawal of inspection services for violations of any rules and regulations adopted under this section. Any such rules and regulations as may be adopted under this section shall comply with or be at least equal to requirements of any regulations now proposed or as may hereafter be imposed by the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States relating to the slaughtering, processing and sale of rabbit meat and rabbit meat food products.

The Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, with approval of the State Board of Agriculture and Industries, is authorized and empowered to enter into agreements of contract with any person, firm, corporation or association on terms mutually agreeable with the parties thereto whereby the Department of Agriculture and Industries shall provide qualified personnel to perform rabbit meat and rabbit meat food products inspection in accordance with such rules and regulations as may be adopted under authority of this chapter. The Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, under authority of contracts for inspection work as authorized in this section, is empowered to charge and collect fees for inspection services to be performed, which fees shall be in the nature of a contribution to defray the cost of such services. All amounts collected as inspection fees shall be deposited into the State Treasury to the credit of the Agricultural Fund and be specifically designated or earmarked therein for expenditure by the Department of Agriculture and Industries to defray cost and expenses necessary to furnish such inspection services. The amount of fees or compensation to be paid to the Department of Agriculture and Industries under the provisions of any contract authorized hereunder shall be fixed and approved by the State Board of Agriculture and Industries at an amount whereby no cost or additional expenses will be borne by said department in rendering the inspection services to be performed, except as hereinafter provided. The amount of inspection fees or compensation shall not be fixed at a sum which will produce any profit or additional revenue to the Department of Agriculture and Industries over and above the actual cost necessary to furnish such inspection service. In the event the Legislature appropriates funds to defray the cost and expenses of providing inspection services as authorized under this chapter, then any contract as authorized hereunder with respect to the payment of inspection fees shall not be necessary; provided, that if any such amount as may be appropriated shall be insufficient to furnish the required inspection services such contracts may then provide that the difference or an additional amount as may be necessary to perform the required inspection services shall be paid by the slaughtering and processing establishment receiving the inspection services.

The provisions of this chapter authorizing the inspection of rabbit meat and rabbit meat food products shall not be construed to make such inspection mandatory. Inspection services shall be on a voluntary basis upon request of a person, firm, corporation or association desiring such inspection. In the event the Congress of the United States at any time in the future requires compulsory inspection of rabbit meat and rabbit meat food products, then the provisions and requirements of this chapter for inspection of rabbit meat and rabbit meat food products shall become mandatory and otherwise in compliance with such congressional act. This chapter shall not affect, restrict, limit or modify the power and duty of the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries to provide and require mandatory inspection for slaughter of cattle, sheep, swine, goats, equine and poultry for meat and meat food products for distribution in this state as authorized and required by Chapter 17 of this title.

The Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries is hereby authorized to expend any funds that may hereafter be appropriated or otherwise available to such officer in carrying out the provisions of this chapter, including financial aid and other assistance as may be made available by the Congress of the United States. The Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries shall also be authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States in developing a state program for rabbit meat and rabbit meat food products inspection in the event the Congress of the United States shall in the future authorize or require inspection of rabbit meat and rabbit meat food products. Unless funds are made available as herein provided, the slaughtering or processing establishment receiving the inspection services shall pay the cost and expense thereof pursuant to contracts as authorized under Section 2-17A-3.