Title FAC — California Food & Agric. Code

It is unlawful for any person to use or administer any registered livestock drug except in accordance with the label instructions for use which are supplied by the registrant, including all warnings, withdrawal periods, and livestock product disposal times.

It is unlawful for the holder of a restricted drug license to sell a restricted drug without requiring the purchaser of the restricted drug to sign his name and write his address in the record of such sales.

It is unlawful for any person to refuse to permit the entry into and inspection of any premises wherein any livestock drug is manufactured or sold for the taking of samples of such drug.

It is unlawful for any person to sell any livestock drug except in the container in which it is packaged by the manufacturer or distributor or to sell any such drug unless its package bears the label of the manufacturer or distributor.

It is unlawful for any person to make any false or misleading representation which relates to any livestock drug, whether such representation is communicated orally, graphically, pictorially, or otherwise.

It is unlawful for any livestock owner or his or her agent to sell or dispose of treated livestock or livestock products within the specified withdrawal period without first notifying the buyer that the livestock or products have been treated. The notification shall be in a form …

The director may seize and hold any livestock drug which he has reasonable cause to believe is in violation of the provisions of this chapter or the regulations adopted pursuant to it. The director shall continue to hold the livestock drug until such time as the requirements of t…

It is unlawful for any person to manufacture, distribute, sell, or use any livestock drug without complying with the provisions of this chapter and the regulations which are adopted pursuant to it.

(a) It is unlawful for any livestock owner or agent to sell or dispose of any livestock or livestock carcasses which within 48 hours after the buyer takes possession have drug residues in excess of allowable federal or state tolerances. In addition to any other penalties imposed …

(a) It is unlawful to sell or dispose of a bob veal calf for the purposes of slaughter without first affixing to the animal a producer identification number approved by the director. (b) For purposes of this chapter, “bob veal calf” means a bovine animal 21 days of age or less or…

(a) It is unlawful to sell or dispose of a dairy cull cow without first affixing to the animal a producer identification number issued by the director. (b) For purposes of this chapter, “cull cow” means a female bovine animal 21 days of age or more, which is sold or disposed of f…

A violation of this chapter or of any regulation which is adopted by the director pursuant to this chapter is an infraction punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) for the first violation. A second or subsequent violation of this chapter is a misdemeanor…

(a) The director may, after a hearing, refuse to issue or renew, or may suspend or revoke a livestock drug registration or restricted drug license for any violation of this chapter or any regulation which is adopted pursuant thereto. (b) Upon calling a hearing, the director shall…

In addition to the remedies provided in this chapter, the department may bring an action in superior court and such court shall have jurisdiction upon hearing and for cause shown, to grant a temporary or permanent injunction restraining any person from violating any provision of …

This chapter shall be known as the California Meat and Poultry Inspection Act.

Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions in this article govern the construction of this chapter.

“Adulterated” means any livestock product or poultry product which is in violation of Article 4 (commencing with Section 18751) of this chapter.

“Animal food manufacturer” means any person that is engaged in the business of preparing any animal food which is derived wholly or in part from any livestock or poultry carcass or any part or product of any such carcass.

“Broker” means any person that is engaged in the business of buying or selling any livestock product or poultry product on commission, or otherwise negotiating any purchase or sale of any livestock product or poultry product, other than for his own account or as an employee of an…

“Capable of use as human food” means any livestock or poultry carcass, or any part or product of any such carcass, unless it is denatured or otherwise identified as required by the director to prevent its use as human food, or is naturally inedible by humans.

“Container” or “package” means any box, can, tin, cloth, plastic, or other receptacle, wrapper, or cover.

“Federal acts” means the Federal Meat Inspection Act and Federal Poultry Products Inspection Act.

“Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act” means the act so entitled, approved June 25, 1938 (52 Stat. 1040; 21 U.S.C., Sec. 301 et seq.), and acts amendatory thereof or supplementary thereto.

“Federal Meat Inspection Act” means the act so entitled approved March 4, 1907 (34 Stat. 1260; 21 U.S.C., Sec. 71 et seq.), as amended by the Wholesome Meat Act (81 Stat. 584; 21 U.S.C., Sec. 601 et seq.).

“Federal Poultry Products Inspection Act” means the act so entitled approved August 28, 1957 (71 Stat. 441; 21 U.S.C., Sec. 451 et seq.), as amended by the Wholesome Poultry Products Act (82 Stat. 791; 21 U.S.C., Sec. 451 et seq. ).

“Inspector” means an employee of the department authorized to perform any inspection function under this chapter.

“Label” means a display of written, printed, or graphic matter upon any article or the immediate container of any article. It does not, however, include package liners.

“Livestock” means any cattle, sheep, swine, goat, or any horse, mule or other equine, whether live or dead.

“Livestock product” means any carcass, part of a carcass, meat, or meat food product of any livestock.

“Meat food product” means any product which is capable of use as human food that is made wholly or in part from any meat or other portion of the carcass of any cattle, sheep, swine, or goat. The director may exempt from this definition any product which contains meat or any other…

“Misbranded” means any livestock product or poultry product which is in violation of Article 5 (commencing with Section 18781) of this chapter.

“Official certificate” means any certificate which is prescribed by regulations of the director for issuance by an inspector or other person performing official functions under this chapter.

“Official device” means any device which is prescribed or authorized by the director for use in applying any official mark.

“Official establishment” means any establishment at which inspection of the slaughter of livestock or poultry, or the preparation of any livestock product or poultry product, is maintained under the authority of this chapter.

“Official inspection legend” means any symbol which is prescribed by the director that shows that an article was inspected and passed in accordance with this chapter.

“Offical mark” means the official inspection legend or any other symbol which is prescribed by the director to identify the status of any article or livestock or poultry under this chapter.

“Person” includes any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, association, or other business unit, and any officer, agent, or employee thereof.

“Pesticide chemical,” “food additive,” “color additive,” and “raw agricultural commodity” shall have the same meanings as under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

“Prepared” means slaughtered, canned, salted, stuffed, rendered, boned, cut up, or otherwise manufactured or processed.

“Poultry” means any domesticated bird, whether live or dead.

“Poultry product” means any poultry carcass, any part of a poultry carcass, or any product which is made wholly or in part from any poultry carcass or any part of a poultry carcass. The director may exempt from this definition any product which contains any poultry ingredient onl…

“Renderer” means any person that is engaged in the business of rendering any livestock or poultry carcass, or any part or product of such a carcass, except rendering conducted under inspection or exemption under this chapter.

Meat, meat food products, poultry, and poultry products are an important source of the nation’s total supply of food. It is essential in the public interest that the health and welfare of consumers be protected by assuring that meat, meat food products, slaughtered poultry, and p…

It is the objective of this chapter to provide for meat and poultry products inspection programs that will impose and enforce requirements with respect to intrastate operations and commerce that are at least equal to those imposed and enforced under the Federal Meat Inspection Ac…

The regulations which are adopted pursuant to this chapter shall conform, so far as possible, to the rules, regulations, and standards of the United States Department of Agriculture which govern the inspection, preparation, and processing of livestock and livestock products and p…

This chapter applies to any person, establishment, animal, or article regulated under the federal acts only to the extent provided for in the federal acts. The exemptions provided in the federal acts are, however, applicable to this chapter insofar as they are not contrary to thi…

If slaughtering or carcass preparation or processing of any meat, meat products, poultry, or poultry product is conducted in an establishment where state inspection is maintained, at hours considered overtime for state employees, or on legal holidays, the owner or operator of the…

The director may cooperate with the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States in administration of this chapter to effectuate the purposes stated in Sections 18691 and 18692, accept federal assistance for that purpose and spend public funds of this state appropriated for admi…

The director may do all of the following: (a) Recommend to the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States for appointment to the advisory committees provided for in the federal acts, such officials or employees of the department as the director shall designate. (b) Serve as th…

To accomplish the purposes of Article 2 (commencing with Section 18691) of this chapter, the director shall require ante mortem and post mortem inspections, quarantine, segregation, and reinspections with respect to the slaughter of any livestock or poultry, or the preparation of…