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The State Live Stock Sanitary Board was created in 1923 (Ch. 9201, Laws) to regulate Florida's livestock industry. With seven to nine members chosen by the governor, the board regulated the import and export of meat and livestock, inspected meat sellers, and controlled animal diseases such as cattle tick fever, hog cholera, and tuberculosis. The board also appointed a state veterinarian to oversee day to day operations. The first state veterinarian was J.V. Knapp. His successor was C.L. Campbell, who served from 1952-1961. In 1953, the Board's name was changed to the Florida Livestock Board. That Board was abolished in January 1961 and its duties transferred to the Dept. Of Agriculture's Division of Animal Industry (Ch. 59-54; Ch. 61-59, Laws). One of the duties given to the State Sanitary Livestock Board by the State Legislature was the inspection of live stock slaughter houses and meat processing plants. (F.S. 585.34, 1941,1949 Florida Statutes; Ch. 26831, 1951, Ch. 28255, 1953, Laws) Headed by Dr. R.V. Rafnel, the Board's Meat Inspection Division regulated the meat industry by requiring a state or federal inspector to be present at all times when live stock was slaughtered and processed. The fees for the state inspectors were paid for by the businesses, and were not to exceed $100 a week. If the plant operated during overtime hours, and legal holidays, then they were obligated to pay the inspectors overtime fees. No meat product could be sold in the state without a seal of approval by the Board, and products not approved were to be seized and destroyed by the Board.
Summary:
This series consists of the administrative and financial records of the State Livestock Sanitary Board's meat inspection division from 1952 to 1957. Records include inspection case files, overtime reports for division inspectors, excess/overtime charges for businesses inspected, and miscellaneous correspondence. The series documents the board's inspection activities of Florida's meat packing industry, as well as providing information on the many meat-related businesses throughout the state during the 1950s.
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Associated Materials:
Series S1874, State Veterinarian C.L. Campbell Correspondence Files, 1956-1957, and series S1874, State Sanitary Livestock Board financial records, 1923 - 1957, contain related information.
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Subject Access Fields:
Florida. State Livestock Sanitary Board.
Animal industry Florida Cattle Florida
for detailed listing.