§350e Sanitary transportation practices

Summary

The Secretary must make rules that require shippers, motor and rail carriers, receivers, and others who move food to use clean and safe transportation practices so food is not carried in ways that make it unsafe or contaminated. The law defines two terms simply: “bulk vehicle” (tanks, hoppers, freight containers, or other vehicles that food touches directly) and “transportation” (moving food by truck or train). The rules will cover things like cleaning and sanitation, packaging and protection, limits on which vehicles can be used, what information must be given to carriers and to the company that arranges or provides vehicles, and recordkeeping. The rules must also list nonfood products that, if shipped in the same vehicle, could contaminate food (separate lists for bulk vehicles and for other motor or rail vehicles). The Secretary can waive requirements for certain people, vehicles, or products if the waiver won’t make food unsafe and won’t harm the public; any waiver and the reasons must be published in the Federal Register. Federal agencies will help the Secretary as resources allow.