§ Â 8706. Purpose.

It is the objective of this chapter to provide for meat, poultry, and egg products inspection programs and for the humane slaughter of livestock that will impose and enforce requirements with respect to intrastate operations and commerce that are least equal to those imposed and enforced under the federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.), the federal Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. § 451 et seq.), the federal Egg Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. § 1031 et seq.), and the federal Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (7 U.S.C. § 1901 et seq.) with respect to operations in interstate commerce. The Secretary is directed to administer this chapter so as to accomplish this purpose and is authorized to promulgate and adopt regulations to accomplish the purpose of this chapter. The Department is designated as the appropriate state agency to cooperate with the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States in administration of this chapter.