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Title 21 — Food and DrugsRelease 119-73not60

§676 Violations

Title 21 › Chapter 12— MEAT INSPECTION › Subchapter IV— AUXILIARY PROVISIONS › § 676

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Breaking these chapter rules can lead to jail time or fines. If no other criminal penalty applies, a person, firm, or corporation convicted can be jailed up to one year, fined up to $1,000, or both. If the violation involved intent to defraud or the distribution or attempted distribution of an adulterated article (as that term is defined elsewhere), the maximum punishment is up to three years in jail, a fine up to $10,000, or both. Someone who received an article or animal for transportation in good faith won’t be punished for that receipt unless they refuse, when asked by a Secretary’s representative, to give the name and address of the person who gave it to them and copies of any delivery papers. For minor violations, the Secretary may choose to issue a written warning instead of referring the matter for prosecution or starting libel or injunction proceedings if a warning will protect the public interest.

Full Legal Text

Title 21, §676

Food and Drugs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Any person, firm, or corporation who violates any provision of this chapter for which no other criminal penalty is provided by this chapter shall upon conviction be subject to imprisonment for not more than one year, or a fine of not more than $1,000, or both such imprisonment and fine; but if such violation involves intent to defraud, or any distribution or attempted distribution of an article that is adulterated (except as defined in section 601(m)(8) of this title), such person, firm, or corporation shall be subject to imprisonment for not more than three years or a fine of not more than $10,000, or both: Provided, That no person, firm, or corporation, shall be subject to penalties under this section for receiving for transportation any article or animal in violation of this chapter if such receipt was made in good faith, unless such person, firm, or corporation refuses to furnish on request of a representative of the Secretary the name and address of the person from whom he received such article or animal, and copies of all documents, if any there be, pertaining to the delivery of the article or animal to him.
(b)Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as requiring the Secretary to report for prosecution or for the institution of libel or injunction proceedings, minor violations of this chapter whenever he believes that the public interest will be adequately served by a suitable written notice of warning.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1986—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–641, § 403(c)(1), temporarily inserted provisions which related to factors required to be considered by Secretary in determining whether public interest is served by written notice of warning. See Effective and Termination Dates of 1986 Amendment note below. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–641, § 403(c)(2), temporarily added subsec. (c). See Effective and Termination Dates of 1986 Amendment note below.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective and Termination Dates of 1986 Amendment Pub. L. 99–641, title IV, § 403(c), Nov. 10, 1986, 100 Stat. 3570, provided that the amendment made by that section is effective only during the 6-year period beginning Nov. 10, 1986.

Construction

and Effect of

Amendments

by Pub. L. 99–641For provisions relating to

Construction

and effect of temporary

Amendments

by section 403 of Pub. L. 99–641, see section 403(e) and 404 of Pub. L. 99–641, set out as notes entitled “Inspection Services for Establishments Not Participating in Total Plant Quality-Control Program” and “

Savings Provision

”, respectively, under section 609 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

21 U.S.C. § 676

Title 21 — Food and Drugs

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60