ARTICLE 8. Licensed Meat Processing and Custom Livestock Slaughter Establishments [19010. - 19017.]

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC 8.

in effect

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 19010. Section 19010.

(a) Each person shall, before operating a meat processing establishment or a custom livestock slaughterhouse, file an application accompanied with an application fee, with the secretary for a license to operate the establishment. The application shall be in the form as the secretary may prescribe. (b) Subject to Section 19011.5, the application fee for a meat processing establishment or a new, previously unlicensed custom livestock slaughterhouse is five hundred dollars ($500) for a license for one year for each establishment that the applicant desires to operate. Each license shall expire on the last day of the calendar year for which it was issued. The fee shall not be prorated. (c) The fee for a license application submitted upon a change of ownership of an existing, previously licensed custom livestock slaughterhouse shall be based on the number of head of livestock slaughtered by the custom livestock slaughterhouse during the preceding October through September time period, as described in subdivision (a) of Section 19011. (d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2027, deletes or extends that date.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 19011. Section 19011.

(a) Application for renewal of a license accompanied by a renewal fee shall be made on or before its expiration. (1) Subject to Section 19011.5, the annual renewal fee for a custom livestock slaughterhouse is: (A) Five hundred dollars ($500) if the plant slaughtered 1,000 or fewer head of livestock during the preceding October through September time period. (B) Seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) if the plant slaughtered between 1,000 and 5,000 head of livestock during the preceding October through September time period. (C) One thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200) if the plant slaughtered over 5,000 head of livestock during the preceding October through September time period. (2) Subject to Section 19011.5, the annual renewal fee for a meat reprocessing establishment is five hundred dollars ($500). (b) Applicants for renewal who have not paid the renewal fee by the expiration date of the license shall be assessed a penalty of 10 percent of the unpaid balance. Failure to pay the renewal fee plus the penalty within 90 days of expiration shall cause a revocation of a license. (c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2027, deletes or extends that date.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 19011.5. Section 19011.5.

If a licensee has two or more licenses in effect at the same meat processing establishment, custom livestock slaughterhouse, place of business, or poultry plant, pursuant to Section 19010, 19011, 19240, 19260, 19280, or 24741, the license fee that is the highest amount shall be paid in full and each additional license fee shall be in an amount that is 50 percent of the fee that would otherwise be applicable.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 19012. Section 19012.

No person shall operate a licensed establishment performing the functions stated in this chapter unless all livestock and livestock products are inspected for wholesomeness and the facilities are inspected for sanitation by a licensed livestock meat inspector or a licensed processing inspector.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 19013. Section 19013.

No person shall operate a meat processing establishment unless all livestock and poultry products used in processing and to be sold have been inspected by the United States Department of Agriculture, fallow deer products have been inspected at a custom livestock slaughterhouse, or poultry products have been inspected in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 24951) of Part 1 of Division 12 and the processing of the product is inspected by a licensed processing inspector.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 19014. Section 19014.

Plant sanitation, sanitary dressing procedures, processing procedures, vehicle equipment, facility standards, and sanitation, including transportation and storage of products, shall follow procedures which may be set forth in regulations or operations manuals adopted by the department.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 19015. Section 19015.

Livestock carcasses and parts and livestock and poultry products shall not be packed, repacked, cut up, recut, or sold unless each container or each part or each carcass, whichever is applicable, is marked in a manner which is required by this chapter and the regulations thereunder.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 19016. Section 19016.

(a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), all custom slaughtered livestock carcasses and parts shall be marked in a manner required by the department to identify the inspected premises and that the products are not for sale. (2) Fallow deer carcasses and parts thereof intended for transportation or sale shall be marked in a manner required by the department to identify the inspected premises and to show that the products have been inspected under this chapter. (b) The department shall determine, by regulation, the official design of the marks that are required by this chapter.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 19017. Section 19017.

It is unlawful to do any of the following: (a) Operate an establishment not licensed by the department. (b) Operate an establishment that is not clean. (c) Operate an establishment in a manner or under conditions that are not sanitary. (d) Operate an establishment that does not meet the sanitary building or equipment standards pursuant to the regulations of this chapter. (e) Operate an establishment in violation of an order of a licensed livestock meat inspector, licensed processing inspector, or a department inspector. (f) Dispose of condemned and inedible livestock carcasses or parts of livestock products in violation of this chapter or the regulations thereunder. (g) Misbrand or mislabel livestock and poultry products.

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