Section R3-2-205. Requirements for Designation of Rendering Plants to Produce Certified Animal Fat

A.      Certification of animal fat.

1.        The Department shall provide certification of rendering facilities and of animal fats to be exported to foreign countries.

2.        Any licensed rendering plant in Arizona may apply in writing to the Department for certification of its plant or of the animal fat produced in the plant.

3.        As prescribed in subsection (G)(2), the certificate of ani- mal fat shall state that the animal fat identified has been produced by renderers who exclude carcasses and parts condemned because of disease, and dead animals and materials not originally produced under federal or state inspection.

B.       Certification of facilities.

1.        Upon written request from a renderer, an inspection shall be made of the rendering plant to determine the plant’s category:

a.         Category A: No raw materials from diseased car- casses and parts or dead animals are used in the ren- dering plant.

b.        Category B: Diseased carcasses and parts and dead animals are processed only in segregated equipment within the plant.

c.         Category C: Diseased carcasses and parts and dead animals are processed through the plant equipment at a separate time of the day from the production of certified animal fat. Raw materials used in the pro- duction of non-certified animal fats shall be segre- gated from raw material used in producing certified animal fat. Production of certified animal fat shall take place in equipment from which all non-certified material has been removed.

2.        The Department shall certify the plant’s participation in the certified animal fat program if it finds that the render- ing plant meets the following requirements:

a.         The plant is licensed by the state of Arizona as a ren- dering plant pursuant to A.R.S. § 3-2081.

b.        The plant is equipped and staffed to operate in accordance with the procedures designated in this rule.

C.      Processing certified animal fat.

1.        Raw materials used in the production of certified animal fat shall be free from condemned and/or diseased material and shall be derived from products originally produced under federal and state inspection.

2.        The following materials shall be excluded from the pro- duction of certified animal fat.

a.         All carcasses and parts from dead, dying, or diseased animals;

b.        All meat and meat products not originally inspected by state or federal inspectors;

c.         All meat and meat products condemned because of

3.        No animal fats shipped into Arizona may be mixed with certified animal fat produced in Arizona unless it is certi- fied by the producing state or the USDA.

4.        A copy of the certificate shall be available for inspection by a representative of the Department during normal business hours.

G.  Certificates of certification.

1.        Certification of facilities