21 U.S.C. § 603 | Examination of animals prior to slaughter; use of humane methods

(a)

Examination of animals before slaughtering; diseased animals slaughtered separately and carcasses examined

For the purpose of preventing the use in commerce of meat and meat food products which are adulterated, the Secretary shall cause to be made, by inspectors appointed for that purpose, an examination and inspection of all amenable species before they shall be allowed to enter into any slaughtering, packing, meat-canning, rendering, or similar establishment, in which they are to be slaughtered and the meat and meat food products thereof are to be used in commerce; and all amenable species found on such inspection to show symptoms of disease shall be set apart and slaughtered separately from all other cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, or other equines, and when so slaughtered the carcasses of said cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, or other equines shall be subject to a careful examination and inspection, all as provided by the rules and regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary, as provided for in this subchapter.

(b)

Humane methods of slaughter

August 27, 195872 Stat. 862 7 U.S.C. 1901–190For the purpose of preventing the inhumane slaughtering of livestock, the Secretary shall cause to be made, by inspectors appointed for that purpose, an examination and inspection of the method by which amenable species are slaughtered and handled in connection with slaughter in the slaughtering establishments inspected under this chapter. The Secretary may refuse to provide inspection to a new slaughtering establishment or may cause inspection to be temporarily suspended at a slaughtering establishment if the Secretary finds that any cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, or other equines have been slaughtered or handled in connection with slaughter at such establishment by any method not in accordance with the Act of (; 6) until the establishment furnishes assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that all slaughtering and handling in connection with slaughter of livestock shall be in accordance with such a method.

Mar. 4, 1907, ch. 2907 34 Stat. 1260 Pub. L. 90–201Dec. 15, 196781 Stat. 584 Pub. L. 95–445, § 2Oct. 10, 197892 Stat. 1069 Pub. L. 109–97, title VII, § 798[(a)]Nov. 10, 2005119 Stat. 2166(, title I, § 3, formerly 1st par., ; renumbered § 3 and amended , §§ 1, 3, 12(a), (b), , , 588, 592; , , ; (1), , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

August 27, 1958Pub. L. 85–765Aug. 27, 195872 Stat. 862Act of , referred to in subsec. (b), is , , , which is classified generally to chapter 48 (§ 1901 et seq.) of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

August 27, 1958Pub. L. 95–445, § 5(b)Oct. 10, 197892 Stat. 1069 section 7 of Pub. L. 95–445Sections 1903 and 1905 of Title 7, included within reference to Act of , were repealed by , , , effective as set forth in , set out as an Effective Date of 1978 Amendment note below.

Codification

section 71 of this titleSection was formerly classified to .

Amendments

Pub. L. 109–972005— substituted “amenable species” for “cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, and other equines” wherever appearing.

Pub. L. 95–4451978— designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

Pub. L. 90–2011967—, §§ 3, 12(a), (b), struck out “interstate or foreign” before “commerce” in two places, substituted “Secretary shall” for “Secretary, at his discretion, may”, and struck out “of Agriculture” after “Secretary”, included horses, mules, and other equines, and horses, mules, or other equines in the list of animals, and substituted “adulterated” for “unsound, unhealthful, unwholesome, or otherwise unfit for human food”, respectively.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2005 Amendment

Pub. L. 109–97Nov. 10, 2005section 798(b) of Pub. L. 109–97 section 601 of this titleAmendment by effective the day after 120 days after , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Pub. L. 95–445, § 7Oct. 10, 197892 Stat. 1070

section 601 of this titleOct. 10, 1978“The provisions of this Act [see Short Title of 1978 Amendment note set out under ] shall become effective one year after the date of enactment []. However, such provisions shall not apply to a person, firm, or corporation for such additional period of time, not to exceed eighteen months, as may be determined by the Secretary, if the Secretary, upon application, finds that compliance with the provisions of this Act on its effective date would cause undue hardship on such person, firm, or corporation.”

, , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1967 Amendment

Pub. L. 90–201Dec. 15, 1967Dec. 15, 1967section 20(b) of Pub. L. 90–201 section 601 of this titleAmendment by effective , except that with respect to equines (other than horses) and their carcasses and parts thereof, meat, and meat food products thereof, amendment effective upon expiration of sixty days after , see , set out as an Effective Date note under .

Religious Freedom; Ritual Slaughter

Pub. L. 95–445, § 6Oct. 10, 197892 Stat. 1070

section 601 of this title section 2(b) of the Act of August 27, 1958 72 Stat. 862 7 U.S.C. 1902(b)“Nothing in this Act [see Short Title of 1978 Amendment note set out under ] shall be construed to prohibit, abridge, or in any way hinder the religious freedom of any person or group. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, in order to protect freedom of religion, ritual slaughter and the handling or other preparation of livestock for ritual slaughter are exempted from the terms of this Act. For the purposes of this section the term ‘ritual slaughter’ means slaughter in accordance with (; ).”

, , , provided that: