{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/3.2-5400.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/3.2-5400.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/3.2-5400.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/3.2-5400.html"}],"law_id":62290,"edition_id":1,"section_id":62290,"structure_id":14363,"section_number":"3.2-5400","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"1970, c. 290, \u00a7 3.1-884.18; 2008, c. 860; 2020, c. 318.","full_text":"As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Animal food manufacturer” means any person engaged in the business of preparing animal (including poultry) food derived wholly or in part from livestock or poultry carcasses or parts or products of such carcasses.\n\t\t“Broker” means any person engaged in the business of buying or selling livestock products or poultry products on commission, or otherwise negotiating purchases or sales of such articles other than for his own account or as an employee of another person.\n\t\t“Capable of use as human food” shall apply to any livestock or poultry carcass, or part or product of any such carcass, unless it is denatured or otherwise identified as required by regulations prescribed by the Board to deter its use as human food, or it is naturally inedible by humans.\n\t\t“Container” or “package” means any box, can, tin, cloth, plastic, or other receptacle, wrapper, or cover.\n\t\t“Federal acts” means the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. \u00a7 601 et seq.) and the federal Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. \u00a7 451 et seq.).\n\t\t“Immediate container” means any consumer package; or any other container in which livestock products or poultry products, not consumer packaged, are packed.\n\t\t“Inspector” means an employee or official of the Commonwealth authorized by the Commissioner or any employee or official of the government of any locality authorized by the Commissioner to perform any inspection functions under this article under an agreement between the Commissioner and such governmental subdivision.\n\t\t“Label” means a display of written, printed, or graphic matter upon any article or the immediate container (not including package liners) of any article.\n\t\t“Labeling” means all labels and other written, printed, or graphic matter: (i) upon any article or any of its containers or wrappers; or (ii) accompanying such article.\n\t\t“Livestock” means any cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, or other equines, whether live or dead.\n\t\t“Livestock product” means any carcass, part thereof, meat, or meat food product of any livestock.\n\t\t“Meat food product” means any product capable of use as human food that is made wholly or in part from any meat or other portion of the carcass of any cattle, sheep, swine, or goats. Products that contain meat or other portions of such carcasses only in a relatively small proportion or historically have not been considered by consumers as products of the meat food industry, and that are exempted from definition as a meat food product by the Commissioner under such conditions as he may prescribe to assure that the meat or other portions of such carcass contained in such product are not adulterated and that such products are not represented as meat food products. This term as applied to food products of equines shall have a comparable meaning.\n\t\t“Official certificate” means any certificate prescribed by regulations of the Board for issuance by an inspector or other person performing official functions under this article.\n\t\t“Official device” means any device prescribed or authorized by the Commissioner for use in applying any official mark.\n\t\t“Official establishment” means any establishment as determined by the Commissioner at which inspection of the slaughter of livestock or poultry or the preparation of livestock products or poultry products is maintained under the authority of this article.\n\t\t“Official inspection legend” means any symbol prescribed by regulations of the Board showing that an article was inspected and passed in accordance with this article.\n\t\t“Official mark” means the official inspection legend or any other symbol prescribed by regulations of the Board to identify the status of any article or livestock or poultry under this article.\n\t\t“Pesticide chemical,” “food additive,” “color additive,” and “raw agricultural commodity” shall have the same meanings for purposes of this article as under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. \u00a7 321 et seq.).\n\t\t“Poultry” means any domesticated bird, whether live or dead.\n\t\t“Poultry product” means any poultry carcass or part thereof; or any product that is made wholly or in part from any poultry carcass or part thereof, excepting products that contain poultry ingredients only in a relatively small proportion or historically have not been considered by consumers as products of the poultry food industry, and that are exempted by the Commissioner from definition as a poultry product under such conditions as he may prescribe to assure that the poultry ingredients in such products are not adulterated and that such products are not represented as poultry products.\n\t\t“Prepared” means slaughtered, canned, salted, stuffed, rendered, boned, cut up, or otherwise manufactured or processed.\n\t\t“Render” means any person engaged in the business of rendering livestock or poultry carcasses, or parts of products of such carcasses, except rendering conducted under inspection or exemption under this article.\n\t\t“Shipping container” means any container used or intended for use in packaging the product packed in an immediate container.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":227186,"text":"As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Animal food manufacturer” means any person engaged in the business of preparing animal (including poultry) food derived wholly or in part from livestock or poultry carcasses or parts or products of such carcasses.\n\t\t“Broker” means any person engaged in the business of buying or selling livestock products or poultry products on commission, or otherwise negotiating purchases or sales of such articles other than for his own account or as an employee of another person.\n\t\t“Capable of use as human food” shall apply to any livestock or poultry carcass, or part or product of any such carcass, unless it is denatured or otherwise identified as required by regulations prescribed by the Board to deter its use as human food, or it is naturally inedible by humans.\n\t\t“Container” or “package” means any box, can, tin, cloth, plastic, or other receptacle, wrapper, or cover.\n\t\t“Federal acts” means the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. \u00a7 601 et seq.) and the federal Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. \u00a7 451 et seq.).\n\t\t“Immediate container” means any consumer package; or any other container in which livestock products or poultry products, not consumer packaged, are packed.\n\t\t“Inspector” means an employee or official of the Commonwealth authorized by the Commissioner or any employee or official of the government of any locality authorized by the Commissioner to perform any inspection functions under this article under an agreement between the Commissioner and such governmental subdivision.\n\t\t“Label” means a display of written, printed, or graphic matter upon any article or the immediate container (not including package liners) of any article.\n\t\t“Labeling” means all labels and other written, printed, or graphic matter: (i) upon any article or any of its containers or wrappers; or (ii) accompanying such article.\n\t\t“Livestock” means any cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, or other equines, whether live or dead.\n\t\t“Livestock product” means any carcass, part thereof, meat, or meat food product of any livestock.\n\t\t“Meat food product” means any product capable of use as human food that is made wholly or in part from any meat or other portion of the carcass of any cattle, sheep, swine, or goats. Products that contain meat or other portions of such carcasses only in a relatively small proportion or historically have not been considered by consumers as products of the meat food industry, and that are exempted from definition as a meat food product by the Commissioner under such conditions as he may prescribe to assure that the meat or other portions of such carcass contained in such product are not adulterated and that such products are not represented as meat food products. This term as applied to food products of equines shall have a comparable meaning.\n\t\t“Official certificate” means any certificate prescribed by regulations of the Board for issuance by an inspector or other person performing official functions under this article.\n\t\t“Official device” means any device prescribed or authorized by the Commissioner for use in applying any official mark.\n\t\t“Official establishment” means any establishment as determined by the Commissioner at which inspection of the slaughter of livestock or poultry or the preparation of livestock products or poultry products is maintained under the authority of this article.\n\t\t“Official inspection legend” means any symbol prescribed by regulations of the Board showing that an article was inspected and passed in accordance with this article.\n\t\t“Official mark” means the official inspection legend or any other symbol prescribed by regulations of the Board to identify the status of any article or livestock or poultry under this article.\n\t\t“Pesticide chemical,” “food additive,” “color additive,” and “raw agricultural commodity” shall have the same meanings for purposes of this article as under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. \u00a7 321 et seq.).\n\t\t“Poultry” means any domesticated bird, whether live or dead.\n\t\t“Poultry product” means any poultry carcass or part thereof; or any product that is made wholly or in part from any poultry carcass or part thereof, excepting products that contain poultry ingredients only in a relatively small proportion or historically have not been considered by consumers as products of the poultry food industry, and that are exempted by the Commissioner from definition as a poultry product under such conditions as he may prescribe to assure that the poultry ingredients in such products are not adulterated and that such products are not represented as poultry products.\n\t\t“Prepared” means slaughtered, canned, salted, stuffed, rendered, boned, cut up, or otherwise manufactured or processed.\n\t\t“Render” means any person engaged in the business of rendering livestock or poultry carcasses, or parts of products of such carcasses, except rendering conducted under inspection or exemption under this article.\n\t\t“Shipping container” means any container used or intended for use in packaging the product packed in an immediate container.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14363,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13738,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:53","permalink":{"id":197615,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14363,"identifier":"1","token":"3.2\/IV\/54\/1","url":"\/3.2\/IV\/54\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13738,"edition_id":1,"name":"Slaughterhouses, Meat, and Dressed Poultry","identifier":"54","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12965,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:44","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:44","permalink":{"id":197613,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13738,"identifier":"54","token":"3.2\/IV\/54","url":"\/3.2\/IV\/54\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12965,"edition_id":1,"name":"Food and Drink; Weights and Measures","identifier":"IV","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12793,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":197125,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12965,"identifier":"IV","token":"3.2\/IV","url":"\/3.2\/IV\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12793,"edition_id":1,"name":"Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food","identifier":"3.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":193939,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12793,"identifier":"3.2","token":"3.2","url":"\/3.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":62290,"structure_id":14363,"section_number":"3.2-5400","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/3.2-5400\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/54\/1\/3.2-5400","metadata":false},{"id":65214,"structure_id":14363,"section_number":"3.2-5401","catch_line":"Adulterated livestock product or poultry product","url":"\/3.2-5401\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/54\/1\/3.2-5401","metadata":false},{"id":55685,"structure_id":14363,"section_number":"3.2-5402","catch_line":"Misbranded livestock product or poultry product","url":"\/3.2-5402\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/54\/1\/3.2-5402","metadata":false},{"id":59871,"structure_id":14363,"section_number":"3.2-5403","catch_line":"Department to cooperate with U.S. Department of Agriculture","url":"\/3.2-5403\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/54\/1\/3.2-5403","metadata":false},{"id":73972,"structure_id":14363,"section_number":"3.2-5404","catch_line":"Duties of the Board","url":"\/3.2-5404\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/54\/1\/3.2-5404","metadata":false},{"id":71262,"structure_id":14363,"section_number":"3.2-5405","catch_line":"Powers of Commissioner","url":"\/3.2-5405\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/54\/1\/3.2-5405","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":65214,"structure_id":14363,"section_number":"3.2-5401","catch_line":"Adulterated livestock product or poultry product","url":"\/3.2-5401\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/54\/1\/3.2-5401","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-5400\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1970. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 290 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1970 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2008, chapter 860<\/a>; in 2020, chapter 318<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":54458,"section_number":"15.2-1109","catch_line":"Milk, food and food products","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1109\/"},{"id":56040,"section_number":"3.2-5143","catch_line":"Enforcement against companies","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-5143\/"},{"id":76620,"section_number":"3.2-5145","catch_line":"Punishment for failure to comply with requirements of certain chapters","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-5145\/"},{"id":83087,"section_number":"62.1-44.17:1.1","catch_line":"Poultry waste management program","order_by":null,"url":"\/62.1-44.17_1.1\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":197617,"object_type":"law","relational_id":62290,"identifier":"3.2-5400","token":"3.2\/IV\/54\/1\/3.2-5400","url":"\/3.2-5400\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-5400\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/54\/1\/3.2-5400","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-5400","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Animal food manufacturer<\/span>” means any person engaged in the business of preparing animal (including poultry) food derived wholly or in part from livestock or poultry carcasses or parts or products of such carcasses.\n\t\t“Broker<\/span>” means any person engaged in the business of buying or selling livestock products<\/span> or poultry products<\/span> on commission, or otherwise negotiating purchases or sales of such articles other than for his own account or as an employee of another person.\n\t\t“Capable of use as human food” shall apply to any livestock or poultry carcass, or part or product of any such carcass, unless it is denatured or otherwise identified as required by regulations prescribed by the Board<\/span> to deter its use as human food, or it is naturally inedible by humans.\n\t\t“Container” or “package<\/span>” means any box, can, tin, cloth, plastic, or other receptacle, wrapper, or cover.\n\t\t“Federal acts<\/span>” means the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. \u00a7 601 et seq.) and the federal Poultry Products<\/span> Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. \u00a7 451 et seq.).\n\t\t“Immediate container<\/span>” means any consumer package<\/span>; or any other container in which livestock products<\/span> or poultry products<\/span>, not consumer packaged, are packed.\n\t\t“Inspector<\/span>” means an employee or official of the Commonwealth authorized by the Commissioner<\/span> or any employee or official of the government of any locality authorized by the Commissioner<\/span> to perform any inspection functions under this article under an agreement between the Commissioner<\/span> and such governmental subdivision.\n\t\t“Label<\/span>” means a display of written, printed, or graphic matter upon any article or the immediate container<\/span> (not including package<\/span> liners) of any article.\n\t\t“Labeling<\/span>” means all labels<\/span> and other written, printed, or graphic matter: (i) upon any article or any of its containers<\/span> or wrappers; or (ii) accompanying such article.\n\t\t“Livestock” means any cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, or other equines, whether live or dead.\n\t\t“Livestock product<\/span>” means any carcass, part thereof, meat, or meat food product<\/span> of any livestock.\n\t\t“Meat food product<\/span>” means any product capable of use as human food that is made wholly or in part from any meat or other portion of the carcass of any cattle, sheep, swine, or goats. Products that contain meat or other portions of such carcasses only in a relatively small proportion or historically have not been considered by consumers as products of the meat food industry, and that are exempted from definition as a meat food product<\/span> by the Commissioner<\/span> under such conditions as he may prescribe to assure that the meat or other portions of such carcass contained in such product are not adulterated and that such products are not represented as meat food products<\/span>. This term as applied to food products of equines shall have a comparable meaning.\n\t\t“Official certificate<\/span>” means any certificate prescribed by regulations of the Board<\/span> for issuance by an inspector<\/span> or other person performing official functions under this article.\n\t\t“Official device<\/span>” means any device prescribed or authorized by the Commissioner<\/span> for use in applying any official mark<\/span>.\n\t\t“Official establishment<\/span>” means any establishment as determined by the Commissioner<\/span> at which inspection of the slaughter of livestock or poultry or the preparation of livestock products<\/span> or poultry products<\/span> is maintained under the authority of this article.\n\t\t“Official inspection legend<\/span>” means any symbol prescribed by regulations of the Board<\/span> showing that an article was inspected and passed in accordance with this article.\n\t\t“Official mark<\/span>” means the official inspection legend<\/span> or any other symbol prescribed by regulations of the Board<\/span> to identify the status of any article or livestock or poultry under this article.\n\t\t“Pesticide chemical,” “food additive,” “color additive,” and “raw agricultural commodity” shall have the same meanings for purposes of this article as under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. \u00a7 321 et seq.).\n\t\t“Poultry” means any domesticated bird, whether live or dead.\n\t\t“Poultry product<\/span>” means any poultry carcass or part thereof; or any product that is made wholly or in part from any poultry carcass or part thereof, excepting products that contain poultry ingredients only in a relatively small proportion or historically have not been considered by consumers as products of the poultry food industry, and that are exempted by the Commissioner<\/span> from definition as a poultry product<\/span> under such conditions as he may prescribe to assure that the poultry ingredients in such products are not adulterated and that such products are not represented as poultry products<\/span>.\n\t\t“Prepared<\/span>” means slaughtered, canned, salted, stuffed, rendered, boned, cut up, or otherwise manufactured or processed.\n\t\t“Render<\/span>” means any person engaged in the business of rendering livestock or poultry carcasses, or parts of products of such carcasses, except rendering conducted under inspection or exemption under this article.\n\t\t“Shipping container<\/span>” means any container used or intended for use in packaging the product packed in an immediate container<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 3.2-5400)\n\nAs used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Animal food manufacturer” means any person engaged in the\nbusiness of preparing animal (including poultry) food derived wholly or in part\nfrom livestock or poultry carcasses or parts or products of such carcasses.\n\t\t“Broker” means any person engaged in the business of buying or\nselling livestock products or poultry products on commission, or otherwise\nnegotiating purchases or sales of such articles other than for his own account\nor as an employee of another person.\n\t\t“Capable of use as human food” shall apply to any livestock or\npoultry carcass, or part or product of any such carcass, unless it is denatured\nor otherwise identified as required by regulations prescribed by the Board to\ndeter its use as human food, or it is naturally inedible by humans.\n\t\t“Container” or “package” means any box, can, tin,\ncloth, plastic, or other receptacle, wrapper, or cover.\n\t\t“Federal acts” means the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. \u00a7\n601 et seq.) and the federal Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. \u00a7 451\net seq.).\n\t\t“Immediate container” means any consumer package; or any other\ncontainer in which livestock products or poultry products, not consumer\npackaged, are packed.\n\t\t“Inspector” means an employee or official of the Commonwealth\nauthorized by the Commissioner or any employee or official of the government of\nany locality authorized by the Commissioner to perform any inspection functions\nunder this article under an agreement between the Commissioner and such\ngovernmental subdivision.\n\t\t“Label” means a display of written, printed, or graphic matter\nupon any article or the immediate container (not including package liners) of\nany article.\n\t\t“Labeling” means all labels and other written, printed, or graphic\nmatter: (i) upon any article or any of its containers or wrappers; or (ii)\naccompanying such article.\n\t\t“Livestock” means any cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules,\nor other equines, whether live or dead.\n\t\t“Livestock product” means any carcass, part thereof, meat, or meat\nfood product of any livestock.\n\t\t“Meat food product” means any product capable of use as human food\nthat is made wholly or in part from any meat or other portion of the carcass of\nany cattle, sheep, swine, or goats. Products that contain meat or other portions\nof such carcasses only in a relatively small proportion or historically have not\nbeen considered by consumers as products of the meat food industry, and that are\nexempted from definition as a meat food product by the Commissioner under such\nconditions as he may prescribe to assure that the meat or other portions of such\ncarcass contained in such product are not adulterated and that such products are\nnot represented as meat food products. This term as applied to food products of\nequines shall have a comparable meaning.\n\t\t“Official certificate” means any certificate prescribed by\nregulations of the Board for issuance by an inspector or other person performing\nofficial functions under this article.\n\t\t“Official device” means any device prescribed or authorized by the\nCommissioner for use in applying any official mark.\n\t\t“Official establishment” means any establishment as determined by\nthe Commissioner at which inspection of the slaughter of livestock or poultry or\nthe preparation of livestock products or poultry products is maintained under\nthe authority of this article.\n\t\t“Official inspection legend” means any symbol prescribed by\nregulations of the Board showing that an article was inspected and passed in\naccordance with this article.\n\t\t“Official mark” means the official inspection legend or any other\nsymbol prescribed by regulations of the Board to identify the status of any\narticle or livestock or poultry under this article.\n\t\t“Pesticide chemical,” “food additive,” “color\nadditive,” and “raw agricultural commodity” shall have the\nsame meanings for purposes of this article as under the Federal Food, Drug, and\nCosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. \u00a7 321 et seq.).\n\t\t“Poultry” means any domesticated bird, whether live or dead.\n\t\t“Poultry product” means any poultry carcass or part thereof; or\nany product that is made wholly or in part from any poultry carcass or part\nthereof, excepting products that contain poultry ingredients only in a\nrelatively small proportion or historically have not been considered by\nconsumers as products of the poultry food industry, and that are exempted by the\nCommissioner from definition as a poultry product under such conditions as he\nmay prescribe to assure that the poultry ingredients in such products are not\nadulterated and that such products are not represented as poultry products.\n\t\t“Prepared” means slaughtered, canned, salted, stuffed, rendered,\nboned, cut up, or otherwise manufactured or processed.\n\t\t“Render” means any person engaged in the business of rendering\nlivestock or poultry carcasses, or parts of products of such carcasses, except\nrendering conducted under inspection or exemption under this article.\n\t\t“Shipping container” means any container used or intended for use\nin packaging the product packed in an immediate container.\n\nHISTORY: 1970, c. 290, \u00a7 3.1-884.18; 2008, c. 860; 2020, c. 318.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}