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HomeFood and Agricultural CodeDiv. 9Pt. 3Ch. 4Art. 8§ 18872 Inspection Of Livestock Products

§ 18872 Inspection Of Livestock Products

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

§ 18872 Inspection Of Livestock Products

This law lets officials hold onto meat or poultry if they think it's unsafe, fake, or not checked properly. They can keep it for up to 20 days to check or tell the feds.

Key Takeaways

  • •Officials can hold meat or poultry if it seems unsafe or fake.
  • •They can keep it for up to 20 days to check or tell the feds.
  • •No one can move the held meat or poultry until officials say it's okay.

Example

A grocery store sells chicken that looks bad and has no inspection stamp.

An official can stop the store from selling it and hold the chicken for 20 days to check if it's safe.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 18872 Inspection Of Livestock Products

Whenever any livestock product or poultry product or any product exempted from the definition of a livestock product and from the definition of a poultry product, or any dead, dying, disabled, or diseased livestock or poultry, is found by any authorized representative of the director upon any premises where it is held for purposes of, during, or after distribution in, intrastate commerce, or is otherwise subject to this chapter and there is reason to believe that any such article is adulterated or misbranded and is capable of use as human food, or that it has not been inspected, in violation of the provisions of this chapter or of the Federal Meat Inspection Act or the Federal Poultry Products Inspection Act or the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or that such article or animal has been or is intended to be, distributed in violation of any such provisions, it may be detained by such representative for a period not to exceed 20 days, pending action under Section 18873 or notification of any federal authorities having jurisdiction over such article or animal, and shall not be moved by any person from the place at which it is located when so detained, until released by such representative. All official marks may be required by such representative to be removed from such article or animal before it is released unless it appears to the satisfaction of the director that the article or animal is eligible to retain such marks. (Repealed and added by Stats. 1970, Ch. 1385.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

livestock productpoultry productadulteratedmisbrandedintrastate commercedetainedofficial marks

Related Statutes

  • § 18732 Livestock Product Storage Rules
  • § 18843 Livestock Food Adulteration Prohibition
  • § 18724 Livestock Product Labeling Requirements
  • § 18725 Sanitary Inspection Requirements
  • § 18734 Livestock And Poultry Registration

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Food and Agricultural Code. Section 18872.
View Official Source