View all text of Subchapter I [§ 601 - § 626]
§ 620. Imports
(a) Adulteration or misbranding prohibition; compliance with inspection, building construction standards, and other provisions; humane methods of slaughter; treatment as domestic articles subject to this chapter and food, drug, and cosmetic provisions; marking and labeling; personal consumption exemption
(b) Terms and conditions for destruction
(c) Payment of storage, cartage, and labor charges by owner or consignee; liens
(d) Prohibition
(e) Omitted
(f) Inspection and other standards; applicability, enforcement, etc.; certifications
(g) Administration of animal drugs or antibiotics; terms and conditions; entry order violations
(h) Reciprocal meat inspection requirement
(1) As used in this subsection:
(A) The term “meat articles” means carcasses, meat and meat food products of cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, or other equines, that are capable of use as human food.
(B) The term “standards” means inspection, building construction, sanitary, quality, species verification, residue, and other standards that are applicable to meat articles.
(2) On request of the Committee on Agriculture or the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry or the Committee on Finance of the Senate, or at the initiative of the Secretary, the Secretary shall, as soon as practicable, determine whether a particular foreign country applies standards for the importation of meat articles from the United States that are not related to public health concerns about end-product quality that can be substantiated by reliable analytical methods.
(3) If the Secretary determines that a foreign country applies standards described in paragraph (2)—
(A) the Secretary shall consult with the United States Trade Representative; and
(B) within 30 days after the determination of the Secretary under paragraph (2), the Secretary and the United States Trade Representative shall recommend to the President whether action should be taken under paragraph (4).
(4) Within 30 days after receiving a recommendation for action under paragraph (3), the President shall, if and for such time as the President considers appropriate, prohibit imports into the United States of any meat articles produced in such foreign country unless it is determined that the meat articles produced in that country meet the standards applicable to meat articles in commerce within the United States.
(5) The action authorized under paragraph (4) may be used instead of, or in addition to, any other action taken under any other law.
(Mar. 4, 1907, ch. 2907, title I, § 20, formerly 18th par., 34 Stat. 1264; renumbered § 20 and amended Pub. L. 90–201, §§ 1, 10, Dec. 15, 1967, 81 Stat. 584, 590; Pub. L. 95–445, § 4, Oct. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 1069; Pub. L. 97–98, title XI, § 1122, Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1273; Pub. L. 99–198, title XVII, § 1702, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1634; Pub. L. 100–418, title IV, § 4604, Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1408; Pub. L. 103–182, title III, § 361(f), Dec. 8, 1993, 107 Stat. 2124; Pub. L. 103–437, § 8(2), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4588; Pub. L. 103–465, title IV, § 431(l), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4970; Pub. L. 109–97, title VII, § 798[(a)](1), Nov. 10, 2005, 119 Stat. 2166.)