Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

21 U.S.C. § 605

Examination of carcasses brought into slaughtering or packing establishments, and of meat food products issued from and returned thereto; conditions for entry

The foregoing provisions shall apply to all carcasses or parts of carcasses of amenable species or the meat or meat products thereof which may be brought into any slaughtering, meat-canning, salting, packing, rendering, or similar establishment, and such examination and inspection shall be had before the said carcasses or parts thereof shall be allowed to enter into any department wherein the same are to be treated and prepared for meat food products; and the foregoing provisions shall also apply to all such products, which, after having been issued from any slaughtering, meat-canning, salting, packing, rendering, or similar establishment, shall be returned to the same or to any similar establishment where such inspection is maintained. The Secretary may limit the entry of carcasses, parts of carcasses, meat and meat food products, and other materials into any establishment at which inspection under this subchapter is maintained, under such conditions as he may prescribe to assure that allowing the entry of such articles into such inspected establishments will be consistent with the purposes of this chapter.

Mar. 4, 1907, ch. 290734 Stat. 1261Pub. L. 90–20181 Stat. 584Pub. L. 109–97, title VII, § 798[(a)]119 Stat. 2166(, title I, § 5, formerly 3rd par., ; renumbered § 5 and amended , §§ 1, 5, 12(a), , , 588, 592; (1), , .)

Editorial Notes

Codification

section 73 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”.

Pub. L. 90–2011967—, §§ 5, 12(a), limited entry of articles into establishments under such prescribed conditions as would be consistent with the purpose of this chapter and included horses, mules, and other equines in the list of animals, respectively.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2005 Amendment

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

Effective Date of 1967 Amendment

Pub. L. 90–201section 20(b) of Pub. L. 90–201section 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 .