
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 21USC451]

 
                        TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS
 
           CHAPTER 10--POULTRY AND POULTRY PRODUCTS INSPECTION
 
Sec. 451. Congressional statement of findings

    Poultry and poultry products are an important source of the Nation's 
total supply of food. They are consumed throughout the Nation and the 
major portion thereof moves in interstate or foreign commerce. It is 
essential in the public interest that the health and welfare of 
consumers be protected by assuring that poultry products distributed to 
them are wholesome, not adulterated, and properly marked, labeled, and 
packaged. Unwholesome, adulterated, or misbranded poultry products 
impair the effective regulation of poultry products in interstate or 
foreign commerce, are injurious to the public welfare, destroy markets 
for wholesome, not adulterated, and properly labeled and packaged 
poultry products, and result in sundry losses to poultry producers and 
processors of poultry and poultry products, as well as injury to 
consumers. It is hereby found that all articles and poultry which are 
regulated under this chapter are either in interstate or foreign 
commerce or substantially affect such commerce, and that regulation by 
the Secretary of Agriculture and cooperation by the States and other 
jurisdictions as contemplated by this chapter are appropriate to prevent 
and eliminate burdens upon such commerce, to effectively regulate such 
commerce, and to protect the health and welfare of consumers.

(Pub. L. 85-172, Sec. 2, Aug. 28, 1957, 71 Stat. 441; Pub. L. 90-492, 
Sec. 2, Aug. 18, 1968, 82 Stat. 791.)


                               Amendments

    1968--Pub. L. 90-492 inserted provisions stating it to be necessary 
that the health and welfare of consumers be protected by assuring that 
poultry products distributed to them are wholesome, not adulterated, and 
properly marked, labeled, and packaged, provisions that misbranded 
poultry products impair the effective regulation of poultry products and 
destroy markets for wholesome, not adulterated, and properly labeled and 
packaged poultry products, and result in sundry losses to poultry 
producers and processors of poultry and poultry products, as well as 
injury to consumers, and provisions that all articles and poultry which 
are regulated by this chapter are either in interstate or foreign 
commerce or substantially affect such commerce and that regulation by 
the Secretary of Agriculture and cooperation by the states and other 
jurisdictions as contemplated by this chapter are appropriate to serve 
the specified aims, and struck out provisions that all poultry and 
poultry products which have or are required to have inspection under 
this chapter are either in the current of interstate or foreign commerce 
or directly affect such commerce, provisions that that part entering 
directly into the current of interstate or foreign commerce cannot be 
effectively inspected and regulated without also inspecting and 
regulating all poultry and poultry products in the same establishment, 
and provisions authorizing the Secretary to designate major consuming 
areas.


                    Effective Date of 1968 Amendment

    Section 20 of Pub. L. 90-492 provided that: ``This Act [see Short 
Title of 1968 Amendment note below] shall become effective upon 
enactment [Aug. 18, 1968] except as provided in paragraphs (a) through 
(c):
    ``(a) The provisions of subparagraphs (a)(2)(A) and (a)(3) of 
section 9 of the Poultry Products Inspection Act, as amended by section 
9 of this Act [section 458(a)(2)(A) and (a)(3) of this title], shall 
become effective upon the expiration of sixty days after enactment 
hereof [Aug. 18, 1968].
    ``(b) Section 14 of this Act, amending section 15 of the Poultry 
Products Inspection Act [section 464 of this title], shall become 
effective upon the expiration of sixty days after enactment hereof [Aug. 
18, 1968].
    ``(c) Paragraph 11(d) of the Poultry Products Inspection Act, as 
added by section 11 of this Act [section 460(d) of this title], shall 
become effective upon the expiration of sixty days after enactment 
hereof [Aug. 18, 1968].''


                             Effective Date

    Section 29, formerly section 22, of Pub. L. 85-172, as renumbered by 
Pub. L. 90-492, Sec. 17, Aug. 18, 1968, 82 Stat. 805, provided that: 
``This Act [this chapter] shall take effect upon enactment [Aug. 28, 
1957], except that no person shall be subject to the provisions of this 
Act [this chapter] prior to January 1, 1959, unless such person after 
January 1, 1958, applies for and receives inspection for poultry or 
poultry products in accordance with the provisions of this Act [this 
chapter] and pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Secretary 
hereunder, in any establishment processing poultry or poultry products 
in commerce or in a designated major consuming area. Any person who 
voluntarily applies for and receives such inspection after January 1, 
1958, shall be subject, on and after the date he commences to receive 
such inspection, to all of the provisions and penalties provided for in 
this Act [this chapter] with respect to all poultry or poultry products 
handled in the establishment for which such said application for 
inspection is made.''


                      Short Title of 1968 Amendment

    Section 1 of Pub. L. 90-492 provided: ``That this Act [enacting 
sections 467a to 467f and 470 of this title, amending this section and 
sections 452 to 461, 463 to 465, and 467 of this title, and enacting 
provisions set out as notes under this section] may be cited as the 
`Wholesome Poultry Products Act'.''


                               Short Title

    Section 1 of Pub. L. 85-172 provided: ``That this Act [enacting this 
chapter and provisions set out as notes under this section] may be cited 
as the `Poultry Products Inspection Act'.''


                              Separability

    Section 19 of Pub. L. 90-492 provided that: ``If any provisions of 
this Act or of the amendments made hereby [see Short Title of 1968 
Amendment note above] or the application thereof to any person or 
circumstances is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of the Act 
and the remaining amendments and of the application of such provision to 
other persons and circumstances shall not be affected thereby.''
    Section 28, formerly section 21, of Pub. L. 85-172, as renumbered by 
Pub. L. 90-492, Sec. 17, Aug. 18, 1968, 82 Stat. 805, provided that: 
``If any provision of this Act [this chapter] or the application thereof 
to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the validity of the 
remainder of the Act and of the application of such provision to other 
persons and circumstances shall not be affected thereby.''


                    Food Additives Amendment of 1958

    Pub. L. 85-929, Sec. 7, Sept. 6, 1958, 72 Stat. 1789, provided that: 
``Nothing in this Act [amending sections 321, 331, 342, 346, and 348 of 
this title and section 210 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, 
and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 321 and 342 of 
this title] shall be construed to exempt any meat or meat food product 
or any person from any requirement imposed by or pursuant to the Poultry 
Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 451 and the following) [this chapter] 
or the Meat Inspection Act of March 4, 1907, 34 Stat. 1260, as amended 
and extended (21 U.S.C. 71 and the following) [see section 601 et seq. 
of this title].''

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 321, 454 of this title.

                    Act Referred to in Other Sections

    The Wholesome Poultry Products Act is referred to in section 1053 of 
this title.
