I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5518 
To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspec-
tion Act to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to order the recall 
of meat and poultry that is adulterated, misbranded, or otherwise unsafe. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 28, 2008 
Mr. UDALL of New Mexico introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry 
Products Inspection Act to authorize the Secretary of 
Agriculture to order the recall of meat and poultry that 
is adulterated, misbranded, or otherwise unsafe. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Unsafe Meat and Poul-
try Recall Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. RECALL AUTHORITY OVER MEAT AND MEAT FOOD 
PRODUCTS. 
(a) MANDATORY RECALLS AUTHORIZED.—The Fed-
eral Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating section 411 (21 U.S.C. 
681) as section 412; and 
(2) by inserting after section 410 (21 U.S.C. 
679a) the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 411. NOTIFICATION, NONDISTRIBUTION, AND RECALL 
OF 
ADULTERATED, 
MISBRANDED, 
AND 
OTHER UNSAFE MEAT PRODUCTS. 
‘‘(a) MEAT PRODUCT DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘meat product’ means a carcass, part of a carcass, 
meat, or meat food product of an amenable species. 
‘‘(b) NOTIFICATION REQUIRED.— 
‘‘(1) NOTICE TO SECRETARY.—A person that 
has reason to believe that a meat product handled 
by the person is in violation of this Act shall imme-
diately notify the Secretary, in such manner and by 
such means as the Secretary may by regulation pro-
mulgate, of the identity and location of the meat 
product. 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTIONS.—The requirement to notify 
the Secretary under paragraph (1) shall not apply 
to— 
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‘‘(A) consumers of meat products; and 
‘‘(B) such other persons as the Secretary 
may exempt by regulation. 
‘‘(c) VOLUNTARY NONDISTRIBUTION AND RECALL.— 
If the Secretary finds that a meat product is in violation 
of this Act and that there is a reasonable probability that 
human consumption of the meat product may present a 
threat to public health, the Secretary shall provide all ap-
propriate persons that handled the meat product, as deter-
mined by the Secretary, with an opportunity to— 
‘‘(1) cease distribution of the meat product; 
‘‘(2) notify all persons handling the meat prod-
uct to immediately cease distribution of the meat 
product; 
‘‘(3) recall the meat product; and 
‘‘(4) in consultation with the Secretary, provide 
notice to consumers to whom the meat product may 
have been distributed. 
‘‘(d) MANDATORY ACTIONS.—If a person does not 
voluntarily take the actions described in subsection (c) 
with respect to a meat product within the time and in the 
manner prescribed by the Secretary, the Secretary may, 
by order, require such person to immediately— 
‘‘(1) cease distribution of the meat product; 
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‘‘(2) notify all persons handling the meat prod-
uct to immediately cease distribution of the meat 
product; and 
‘‘(3) recall the meat product or take other ap-
propriate action, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(e) NOTICE TO CONSUMERS.—If the Secretary or-
ders a mandatory action under subsection (d), the Sec-
retary shall provide notice of the action to consumers to 
whom the meat product may have been distributed to the 
extent the Secretary considers necessary. 
‘‘(f) NONDISTRIBUTION BY NOTIFIED PERSONS.—A 
person handling a meat product that receives notification 
under subsection (c) or (d) shall immediately cease dis-
tribution of the meat product. 
‘‘(g) VACATION OF ORDER.—If, after providing an 
opportunity for a hearing on the record, the Secretary de-
termines that adequate grounds do not exist to continue 
the mandatory actions required by an order issued under 
subsection (d), the Secretary shall vacate the order. 
‘‘(h) ADDITIONAL REMEDIES.—The remedies pro-
vided in this section are in addition to any other remedies 
that may be available under any other provision of law.’’. 
(b) DEFINITION OF PERSON.— 
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tion under subsection (b) or (c) shall immediately cease 
distribution of the poultry product. 
‘‘(f) VACATION OF ORDER.—If, after providing an 
opportunity for a hearing on the record, the Secretary de-
termines that adequate grounds do not exist to continue 
the mandatory actions required by an order issued under 
subsection (c), the Secretary shall vacate the order. 
‘‘(g) ADDITIONAL REMEDIES.—The remedies pro-
vided in this section are in addition to any other remedies 
that may be available under any other provision of law.’’. 
Æ 
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