(a) If cattle sold at a public auction have a dairy exemption number, the auctioneer shall announce at the sale that those cattle are being sold under the dairy exemption number provision and must go directly to slaughter.
(b) Any person who buys cattle under a dairy exemption number at a public auction and fails to send those cattle directly to slaughter is guilty of a public offense punishable by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) per incident for the first violation, not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars ($250) per incident for a second violation, and not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) per incident for a third or subsequent violation. These penalties shall take effect on July 1, 2007. Prior to that date, the department shall notify salesyard managers and dairy producers at salesyards that it is a violation of law to neglect to send cattle covered by this section directly to slaughter, and issue oral or written warnings for noncompliance.
(Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 584, Sec. 1.4. Effective January 1, 2007.)