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Title 21 — Food and Drugs

Chapter 12 — Meat Inspection

§ 609. Examination of animals and food products thereof, slaughtered and prepared during nighttime

Statutory text

The Secretary shall cause an examination and inspection of all amenable species, and the food products thereof, slaughtered and prepared in the establishments hereinbefore described for the purposes of commerce to be made during the nighttime as well as during the daytime when the slaughtering of said amenable species, or the preparation of said food products is conducted during the nighttime.

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

  1. Pub. L. 59–2907 · 34 Stat. 1256

    Enacted · 21 U.S.C. § 609

    Mar. 4, 1907, ch. 2907, title I, § 9, formerly 7th par., 34 Stat. 1262

    Source evidence

    Code source credit
    Mar. 4, 1907, ch. 2907, title I, § 9, formerly 7th par., 34 Stat. 1262

  2. Pub. L. 90–201 · 81 Stat. 584

    Struck · 21 U.S.C. § 609

    Pub. L. 90–201, §§ 3, 12(a), struck out “interstate or foreign” before “commerce” and “of Agriculture” after “Secretary” and included horses, mules, and other equines in the list of animals, respectively

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Pub. L. 90–201, §§ 3, 12(a), struck out “interstate or foreign” before “commerce” and “of Agriculture” after “Secretary” and included horses, mules, and other equines in the list of animals, respectively.

  3. Processed Products Inspection Improvement Act of 1986

    Pub. L. 99–641 title IV § 403(d)(1) · 100 Stat. 3556

    Inserted · 21 U.S.C. § 609

    Pub. L. 99–641 temporarily inserted “, except as provided in section 606 of this title,” after first reference to “other equines, and”. See Effective and Termination Dates of 1986 Amendment note below

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Pub. L. 99–641 temporarily inserted “, except as provided in section 606 of this title,” after first reference to “other equines, and”. See Effective and Termination Dates of 1986 Amendment note below.

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    (1) Nighttime.— Effective only during the 6-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, section 9 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 609) is amended by inserting “, except as provided in section 6,” after “equines, and” the first place it appears.

  4. Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006

    Pub. L. 109–97 title VII § 798 · 119 Stat. 2120

    Substituted · 21 U.S.C. § 609

    Pub. L. 109–97 substituted “amenable species” for “cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, and other equines” in two places

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Pub. L. 109–97 substituted “amenable species” for “cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, and other equines” in two places.

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    Sec. 798. Amenable Species.— The Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) is amended— (1) 21 USC 603–605, 608, 609, 615, 617, 618, 620, 621. 21 USC 601. by striking “cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, and other equines” each place it appears and inserting “amenable species”; (2) in section 1, by adding at the end the following new subsection: “(w) The term ‘amenable species’ means— “(1) those species subject to the provisions of this Act on the day before the date of the enactment of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006; and “(2) any additional species of livestock that the Secretary considers appropriate.” ; and (3) in section 21 USC 619. 19— (A) by striking “horses, mules, or other equines” and inserting “species designated by regulations in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006”; and (B) by striking “cattle, sheep, swine, or goats” and inserting “other amenable species”. (b) Effective Date.— The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the day after the effective date of section 794 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006.

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

2 of 4 references resolved to an enrolled provision · 2 partial

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 77 of this title.

Amendments1967–2005 · 3 rounds

2005

Pub. L. 109–97 substituted “amenable species” for “cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, and other equines” in two places.

1986

Pub. L. 99–641 temporarily inserted “, except as provided in section 606 of this title,” after first reference to “other equines, and”. See Effective and Termination Dates of 1986 Amendment note below.

1967

Pub. L. 90–201, §§ 3, 12(a), struck out “interstate or foreign” before “commerce” and “of Agriculture” after “Secretary” and included horses, mules, and other equines in the list of animals, respectively.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2005 Amendment

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

Effective and Termination Dates of 1986 Amendment

Pub. L. 99–641, title IV, § 403(d)(1), , 100 Stat. 3570, provided that the amendment made by that section is effective only during the 6-year period beginning .

Pub. L. 99–641, title IV, § 408, , 100 Stat. 3571, provided that:

“(a)

General Effective Date.—

Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this title and the amendments made by this title [amending this section and sections 606, 621, 671, and 676 of this title and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 606, 621, 671, and 676 of this title] shall become effective on the date of the enactment of this Act [].

“(b)

Temporary Application of Existing Law.—

Sections 6, 9, and 21 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 606, 609, and 621), as in effect immediately before the date of the enactment of this Act [], shall apply with respect to establishments until the Secretary of Agriculture first issues rules and regulations to implement the amendments made by section 403(a) [amending section 606 of this title].”

Effective Date of 1967 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 90–201 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 section 20(b) of Pub. L. 90–201, set out as an Effective Date note under section 601 of this title.

Savings Provision

Pub. L. 99–641, title IV, § 404, , 100 Stat. 3571, provided that: “The expiration date provisions of section 403 [enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 606, 621, 671, and 676 of this title] shall not have the effect of releasing or extinguishing any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), as amended by section 403 [amending this section and sections 606, 621, 671, and 676 of this title], or under the rules or regulations issued under such Act.”

Inspection Services for Establishments Not Participating in Total Plant Quality-Control Program

Pub. L. 99–641, title IV, § 403(e), , 100 Stat. 3570, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 606, 621, 671, and 676 of this title] shall not be construed to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to refuse to provide inspection under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) at an establishment solely because such establishment does not participate in a total plant quality-control program.”

Credits

1907–2005 · 4 acts
  1. 1907Mar. 4, 1907, ch. 2907, title I, § 9, formerly 7th par., 34 Stat. 1262
  2. 1967renumbered § 9 and amended Pub. L. 90–201, §§ 1, 3, 12(a), , 81 Stat. 584, 588, 592
  3. 1986Pub. L. 99–641, title IV, § 403(d)(1), , 100 Stat. 3570
  4. 2005Pub. L. 109–97, title VII, § 798[(a)](1), , 119 Stat. 2166.
Show as published

(Mar. 4, 1907, ch. 2907, title I, § 9, formerly 7th par., 34 Stat. 1262; renumbered § 9 and amended Pub. L. 90–201, §§ 1, 3, 12(a), , 81 Stat. 584, 588, 592; Pub. L. 99–641, title IV, § 403(d)(1), , 100 Stat. 3570; Pub. L. 109–97, title VII, § 798[(a)](1), , 119 Stat. 2166.)

Parsed from the official OLRC USLM XML in data/usc_all/usc21.xml · release point 119-108 · OLRC build 2026-04-17

USLM identifier /us/usc/t21/s609