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HomeFood and Agricultural CodeDiv. 9Pt. 3Ch. 4.1Art. 4§ 18973 Meat Inspection Enforcement Powers

§ 18973 Meat Inspection Enforcement Powers

Food and Agricultural Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 18973 Meat Inspection Enforcement Powers

Key Takeaways

  • •Inspectors can stop a meat plant from working if it's dirty or breaking rules.
  • •Inspectors can stop bad meat from being sold if it's unsafe or made in a gross way.
  • •If a plant doesn’t follow the inspector’s orders, the government can stop checking it, and the plant can get in trouble.

Example

A meat factory keeps using dirty machines to make hot dogs.

An inspector can tell the factory to stop making hot dogs until they clean up. If the factory doesn’t listen, the inspector can stop the hot dogs from being sold and even shut down the factory’s inspections.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 18973 Meat Inspection Enforcement Powers

(a) Licensed livestock meat inspectors, licensed processing inspectors, and department inspectors are authorized to supervise the operations of licensed establishments, to order the establishments not to operate until required standards are met, and to cease operations when the standards are violated. These persons are also authorized to require withholding from movement, sale, or the delivery of products that may be unfit, because the products were derived from unfit animals or processed in unsanitary conditions and to require denaturing and condemnation of the unfit products. (b) The department may immediately withdraw or refuse to provide inspection services to any establishment under this chapter that fails to cease operations, hold any retained product, or destroy any condemned product in accordance with the order of a department inspector or licensed livestock meat inspector or licensed processing inspector. It is unlawful to violate any such order. (Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 680, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 1999.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

licensed livestock meat inspectorslicensed processing inspectorsdepartment inspectorsunfit productscondemnation

Related Statutes

  • § 18976 Overtime Meat Inspection Costs
  • § 18982 Livestock Inspector Training Requirements
  • § 18970 Establishment Licensing Building Standards
  • § 18971 Sanitary Inspection Of Establishments
  • § 18972 Livestock Inspection Authority

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Food and Agricultural Code. Section 18973.
View Official Source