The Florida Senate

500.601  Retail sale of meat; definitions; disclosure, penalties.--

(1)  As used in this section, the term:

(a)  "Cutting loss" means the weight of meat, fat, and bone removed from the carcass, side, quarter, or primal source during standard or custom cutting procedures.

(b)  "Gross or hanging weight" means the weight of any single carcass, side, quarter, or primal source of meat prior to cutting or trimming such meat into any constituent part.

(c)  "Primal source" means the following cuts of meat:

1.  The round, flank, loin, rib, plate, brisket, chuck, and shank of beef.

2.  The leg, flank, loin, rack (rib), and shoulder of veal, lamb, or mutton.

3.  The belly, loin, ham spareribs, shoulder, and jowl of pork.

(d)  "Seller" means any person, partnership, corporation, or association, however organized, engaged in the retail sale of meat.

(2)  This section does not apply to any seller whose total annual retail sales are less than $10,000, or to any retail food business that sells multiple items, including meat, produce, dairy products, baked goods, and food staples, the primary business of which is not the retail sale of meat or meat cutting.

(3)  A seller of a single carcass, side, quarter, or primal source of meat may sell such meat based on gross or hanging weight if the meat is derived from a single carcass, side, quarter, or primal source of meat. With respect to any other retail sale of meat, the seller must disclose in writing to the buyer the net weight, the selling price per pound, and the total selling price of each cut.

(4)  A seller of a single carcass, side, quarter, or primal source of meat that sells such meat based on gross or hanging weight must provide to the buyer, in writing, the following information at the times indicated:

(a)  Prior to sale:

1.  The name and address of the seller.

2.  The estimated gross or hanging weight of the order.

3.  The U.S.D.A. quality grade of the meat to be supplied, if so graded.

4.  The estimated total price of the order.

5.  The estimated cutting loss on the order.

6.  A list, by name and estimated count, of each cut to be derived from each primal source.

7.  The price per pound of the carcass, side, quarter, or primal source before cutting and wrapping.

8.  Additional costs of cutting, wrapping, and freezing, if any.

9.  A statement that the buyer may keep the cutting loss.

(b)  At the time of delivery:

1.  The name and address of the seller.

2.  The total delivered weight of the meat.

3.  The cutting loss.

4.  A list, by name and count, of each cut derived from each primal source.

This subsection does not apply to the sale of a single carcass, side, quarter, or primal source of meat which has a gross or hanging weight of 50 pounds or less.

(5)(a)  Any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(b)  In addition to any other remedies provided in this section and notwithstanding the existence of any adequate remedy at law, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services may make application for injunction to a circuit court and such court shall have jurisdiction upon hearing and for cause shown to grant a temporary or permanent injunction, or both, restraining any person from violating or continuing to violate any provision of this section.

History.--s. 1, ch. 90-13; s. 34, ch. 94-180.