R.I. Gen. Laws § 21-11-3
No person, firm, association, or corporation shall operate within this state any establishment for the purpose of slaughtering any animal for human consumption, or for canning, curing, smoking, salting, packing, rendering, or handling the carcass of any animal or part of the carcass, or for the manufacturing of any meat product or meat food product, until that person, firm, association, or corporation shall have obtained a license from the department of health. This section shall not apply to a retail market offering for sale only those primal parts commonly known in the trade as sides, quarters, shoulders, hams, backs, bellies, tongues, livers, or similar parts, or meat, meat products, or meat food products, which have been obtained from the establishment of a person, firm, association, or corporation licensed in accordance with provisions of this section, nor to any retail market where meat processing consists solely of grinding meat for sale on the premises.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 21-11-3