U.S. CODE

U.S. Code

§ 5701. Food transportation safety inspections

(a) Inspection Procedures.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Agriculture, shall establish procedures for transportation safety inspections for the purpose of identifying suspected incidents of contamination or adulteration of—

(A) food in violation of regulations promulgated under section 416 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act;

(B) a carcass, part of a carcass, meat, meat food product, or animal subject to detention under section 402 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 672); and

(C) poultry products or poultry subject to detention under section 19 of the Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 467a).

(2) Training.—

(A) In general.— The Secretary of Transportation shall develop and carry out a training program to conduct enforcement of this chapter and regulations prescribed under this chapter or compatible State laws and regulations.

(B) Conduct.— In carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary of Transportation shall train inspectors, including Department of Transportation personnel, State employees described under subsection (c), or personnel paid with funds authorized under sections 31102 and 31104, in the recognition of adulteration problems associated with the transportation of cosmetics, devices, drugs, food, and food additives and in the procedures for obtaining assistance of the appropriate departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government and State authorities to support the enforcement.

(3) Applicability.— The procedures established under paragraph (1) shall apply, at a minimum, to Department of Transportation personnel that perform commercial motor vehicle or railroad safety inspections.

(b) Notification of Secretary of Health and Human Services or Secretary of Agriculture.— The Secretary of Transportation shall promptly notify the Secretary of Health and Human Services or the Secretary of Agriculture, as applicable, of any instances of potential food contamination or adulteration of a food identified during transportation safety inspections.

(c) Use of State Employees.— The means by which the Secretary of Transportation carries out subsection (b) may include inspections conducted by State employees using funds authorized to be appropriated under sections 31102 through 31104.

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