Title 21 — Food and DrugsRelease 119-73
§644 Regulation of transactions, transportation, or importation of 4–D animals to prevent use as human food
Title 21 › Chapter CHAPTER 12— - MEAT INSPECTION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - MEAT PROCESSORS AND RELATED INDUSTRIES › § 644
Summary
Businesses that buy, sell, move, or import dead, dying, disabled, or sick livestock (like cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, horses, or mules) or parts of animals that did not die by slaughter must follow rules made by the Secretary to make sure those animals or parts are not used as food for people.
Full Legal Text
Title 21, §644
Food and Drugs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
No person, firm, or corporation engaged in the business of buying, selling, or transporting in commerce, or importing, dead, dying, disabled, or diseased animals, or any parts of the carcasses of any animals that died otherwise than by slaughter, shall buy, sell, transport, offer for sale or transportation, or receive for transportation, in commerce, or import, any dead, dying, disabled, or diseased cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules or other equines, or parts of the carcasses of any such animals that died otherwise than by slaughter, unless such transaction, transportation or importation is made in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe to assure that such animals, or the unwholesome parts or products thereof, will be prevented from being used for human food purposes.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
21 U.S.C. § 644
Title 21 — Food and Drugs
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73