ARTICLE 4. Inspection Granting and Withdrawal [18970. - 18977.]

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC 4.

in effect

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 18970. Section 18970.

(a) Prior to the issuance of a license to an establishment required to be licensed pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 19010), the establishment shall meet the department’s building and equipment standards. (b) Building plans and specifications shall be submitted to the director for approval prior to any intended construction or major reconstruction for any establishment licensed pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 19010).

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 18971. Section 18971.

The director shall investigate the sanitary conditions of each establishment required to be licensed pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 19010) and shall withdraw or otherwise refuse to provide inspection services at any establishment where the sanitary conditions are such as to render adulterated or permit adulteration of any livestock product or poultry product which is prepared or handled at such establishment. No such establishment shall be operated without inspection.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 18972. Section 18972.

The director may inspect, reinspect, or order the reinspection of any livestock or poultry product which is slaughtered, processed, or stored in an establishment licensed pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 19010).

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 18973. Section 18973.

(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.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 18974. Section 18974.

The director may order any labeling or containers to be withheld from use if he or she determines that the labeling is false or misleading or the containers are of a misleading size or form.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 18975. Section 18975.

If an action of a livestock meat inspector, licensed processing inspector, or department inspector in condemning any livestock or poultry product is questioned, appeal by the licensed establishment operator may be made to the immediate supervisor of the inspector and from his or her decision appeal may be made to the Chief of the Meat and Poultry Inspection Branch. The operator shall abide by the decision of the inspector until or unless the decision is modified by the supervisor or the chief.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 18976. Section 18976.

If slaughtering, carcass preparation, or processing of any meat, meat products, poultry, or poultry products, or training of licensed livestock meat inspectors or licensed processing inspectors is conducted in an establishment licensed under Article 8 (commencing with Section 19010) during hours considered overtime for state employees or on legal holidays, the owner or operator of the establishment, by contract or agreement with the department, shall pay the additional costs for salaries and expenses for persons employed by the department, as determined by the department, to conduct the necessary inspection work or training during the overtime period.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 18977. Section 18977.

The director may require a deposit to pay for the overtime charges which he or she shall deposit in the General Fund, and may refuse inspection if the deposit is not made in a timely fashion. The director shall withdraw inspection services at any establishment licensed under Article 8 (commencing with Section 19010) that does not pay the overtime charges 15 days after the mailing of an invoice therefor.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026