California Code
Food and Agricultural Code - FAC
DIVISION 10 - CATTLE PROTECTION

CHAPTER 1 - Definitions

Section 20001. - 20001. Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions in this...

Section 20002. - 20002. “Animal,” “calf,” and “cattle” mean only bovine animals. (Enacted...

Section 20003. - 20003. “Brand” means a design which is permanently impressed on...

Section 20004. - 20004. “Brand” includes “brand and mark” if a mark is...

Section 20005. - 20005. “Bureau” means the Bureau of Livestock Identification. (Enacted by...

Section 20006. - 20006. “Carcass” means the carcass of an animal. (Enacted by...

Section 20007. - 20007. “Cattle record brand” means a brand used to classify...

Section 20008. - 20008. “Chief” means the Chief of the Bureau of Livestock...

Section 20009. - 20009. “Hide” means the hide of an animal. (Enacted by...

Section 20010. - 20010. “Inspector” means a hide and brand inspector. It includes...

Section 20011. - 20011. “Mark” means a design which is cut into or...

Section 20012. - 20012. “Vent” means a design which is permanently impressed on...

Section 20013. - 20013. “Feedlot” means a beef cattle feedlot or feed yard...

Section 20014. - 20014. “Beef cattle” means bovine animals of any breed being...

Section 20015. - 20015. “Registered feedlot” means a feedlot defined in Section 20013...

Section 20016. - 20016. “Licensed frozen food locker plant” means an establishment defined...

Section 20017. - 20017. “Modified point-of-origin inspection area” means any area designated by...

Section 20018. - 20018. “Upon entry into a registered feedlot” means brand inspection...

Section 20019. - 20019. “Processor” means an establishment in which, for compensation directly...

Section 20020. - 20020. “Point of sale” as used in Section 22004.1 means...

Section 20021. - 20021. “Modified point of origin inspection,” as provided in Sections...

Section 20022. - 20022. “Full point of origin inspection area” means any area...

Section 20023. - 20023. “Full point of origin inspection” as provided in Sections...

Section 20024. - 20024. “Destination point inspection” means the inspection of cattle within...

Section 20025. - 20025. “Cattle movement” means the transportation of cattle by vehicle...

Section 20026. - 20026. “Private treaty transaction,” as used in this division, means...

Section 20027. - 20027. “Pasture-to-pasture movement” means transportation of cattle, or leading or...

Section 20028. - 20028. “Transportation, transport, or transporting” as used in this division...

Section 20029. - 20029. “Shipper” means any person who transfers cattle from one...

Section 20030. - 20030. “Licensed slaughterer” means any person who is in the...

CHAPTER 2 - General Provisions

ARTICLE 1 - Application

Section 20151. - 20151. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that this division...

Section 20152. - 20152. The provisions of this division, including the payment of...

ARTICLE 2 - Regulation

Section 20171. - 20171. The director may make such regulations as may be...

Section 20172. - 20172. The regulations shall be published in one or more...

ARTICLE 3 - Investigations

Section 20201. - 20201. The director may make any necessary investigations relative to...

Section 20202. - 20202. The person in custody of any records required to...

Section 20203. - 20203. It is unlawful for any person to refuse to...

ARTICLE 4 - Criminal Penalties

Section 20221. - 20221. Every person that violates this division is guilty of...

Section 20222. - 20222. Any person who uses an unrecorded, forfeited, or canceled...

ARTICLE 5 - Civil Penalties and Remedies

Section 20251. - 20251. Any person that violates any provision of this division,...

Section 20252. - 20252. The Attorney General shall, upon complaint by the director,...

Section 20253. - 20253. The Attorney General shall, upon complaint by the director,...

ARTICLE 6 - Collection and Disposition of Money

Section 20281. - 20281. The department shall, at least once a month, report...

Section 20282. - 20282. Any money in the Department of Agriculture Fund derived...

Section 20283. - 20283. A civil action may be brought by the department...

CHAPTER 3 - Enforcement

ARTICLE 1 - Bureau of Livestock Identification

Section 20401. - 20401. There is in the department the Bureau of Livestock...

Section 20402. - 20402. The bureau is administered by a chief who is...

Section 20403. - 20403. The chief shall administer and enforce this division and...

Section 20404. - 20404. The chief is responsible to the director for the...

Section 20405. - 20405. The chief shall assist in the prosecution of persons...

Section 20406. - 20406. Subject to the approval of the director, the chief...

Section 20407. - 20407. Subject to the approval of the director, the chief...

ARTICLE 2 - Inspectors and Other Peace Officers

Section 20432. - 20432. Each inspector may enforce the provisions of Chapter 5...

Section 20433. - 20433. Each sheriff, member of the California Highway Patrol, and...

Section 20434. - 20434. Each sheriff or other officer to whom a complaint...

Section 20435. - 20435. If an inspector or peace officer finds any animal,...

Section 20436. - 20436. A person shall not, without a release from the...

Section 20437. - 20437. Any animal, hide, carcass, or portion of a carcass...

Section 20438. - 20438. Any inspector or peace officer may stop any conveyance...

Section 20439. - 20439. Any expense which is incurred in caring for any...

Section 20440. - 20440. Any animal which is seized by or comes into...

ARTICLE 3 - Livestock Identification Advisory Board

Section 20461. - 20461. As used in this article, “board” means the Livestock...

Section 20462. - 20462. There is in the department the Livestock Identification Advisory...

Section 20462.5. - 20462.5. It is hereby declared, as a matter of legislative...

Section 20463. - 20463. The director shall appoint the members to the board...

Section 20464. - 20464. In making his selection of the membership of the...

Section 20465. - 20465. The term of office of the members of the...

Section 20466. - 20466. The members of the board shall serve without compensation...

Section 20467. - 20467. The board shall assist the director and the Chief...

Section 20468. - 20468. The members of the board shall confer with all...

Section 20469. - 20469. The board shall make recommendations to the director and...

Section 20470. - 20470. The board shall meet at the call of its...

Section 20471. - 20471. The meetings of the board shall be held in...

CHAPTER 4 - Brands and Brand Records Generally

ARTICLE 1 - Requirements

Section 20601. - 20601. It is the ultimate object of this division to...

Section 20602. - 20602. Brands for the purpose of establishing or indicating ownership...

Section 20603. - 20603. The chief shall, by regulation, prescribe the location on...

Section 20604. - 20604. It is unlawful for any person to brand any...

Section 20605. - 20605. It is unlawful for any person to use an...

Section 20606. - 20606. It is unlawful for any person to apply a...

Section 20607. - 20607. It is unlawful for any person to use a...

Section 20608. - 20608. Proof of possession or ownership of cattle with an...

Section 20609. - 20609. In every suit at law or in equity, if...

Section 20610. - 20610. (a) The owner of cattle brought into this state...

ARTICLE 2 - Venting Brand Requirements

Section 20631. - 20631. Venting a brand consists of rebranding a branded animal,...

Section 20632. - 20632. A vent brand may be applied on the loin...

Section 20633. - 20633. Only the owner’s recorded brand may be used as...

ARTICLE 3 - Applications

Section 20661. - 20661. Any person that desires to use a brand in...

Section 20662. - 20662. To conform to the objective of this chapter, all...

Section 20663. - 20663. An application for the recordation of a brand shall...

Section 20664. - 20664. The application shall contain all of the following: (a)...

Section 20665. - 20665. A mark may be recorded only with a brand....

Section 20666. - 20666. Upon receipt of an application, the bureau shall examine...

Section 20667. - 20667. An application shall not be accepted for the recordation...

Section 20668. - 20668. An application shall not be accepted for the recordation...

Section 20669. - 20669. An application shall not be accepted for the recordation...

Section 20670. - 20670. An application shall not be accepted for the recordation...

Section 20671. - 20671. If the application does not conform to the requirements...

Section 20672. - 20672. Any person who is aggrieved at any determination made...

ARTICLE 4 - Recordation

Section 20691. - 20691. The bureau shall maintain a record of all brands...

Section 20692. - 20692. Any person, upon request to the bureau, shall be...

Section 20693. - 20693. A brand shall not be recorded if it consists...

Section 20694. - 20694. A brand shall not be recorded for any person...

Section 20695. - 20695. Recordation of a brand consists of entering in the...

Section 20696. - 20696. The original cattle brand registration certificate shall be kept...

Section 20697. - 20697. The issuance to a person of a cattle brand...

Section 20698. - 20698. The right to use a brand is a property...

Section 20699. - 20699. A transferee of a brand shall not use the...

Section 20700. - 20700. The record of any brand may be canceled at...

Section 20701. - 20701. The records of brands which have been forfeited or...

ARTICLE 5 - Suspension and Forfeiture

Section 20721. - 20721. The right to use a recorded brand is lost...

Section 20722. - 20722. If the renewal fee that is required by Article...

Section 20723. - 20723. If the right to use a brand is suspended...

Section 20724. - 20724. The right to use any brand which conflicts with...

Section 20725. - 20725. (a) Any person convicted of Section 487a of the...

ARTICLE 6 - Fees and Penalties

Section 20751. - 20751. The fee for each application for recording a brand...

Section 20752. - 20752. The fee entitles the applicant to the recordation of...

Section 20754. - 20754. Except as otherwise provided in Section 20755, the owner...

Section 20755. - 20755. The owner of a recorded brand may, on or...

Section 20756. - 20756. If the right to use a brand is suspended...

Section 20757. - 20757. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), the fee...

Section 20758. - 20758. The fee for recording the transfer of a brand,...

Section 20759. - 20759. If the applicant fails to submit within 60 days...

Section 20760. - 20760. The fees or penalties prescribed in this article may...

ARTICLE 7 - Similar Brands

Section 20791. - 20791. If the brand records on file with the bureau...

Section 20792. - 20792. Notice of the hearing shall be given to each...

Section 20793. - 20793. At the hearing, the chief shall first determine if...

Section 20794. - 20794. If, at the hearing, the chief finds that two...

Section 20795. - 20795. The owner of a recorded brand may request the...

Section 20796. - 20796. If, after the investigation, the chief finds sufficient cause...

Section 20797. - 20797. Any person who loses his or her right to...

CHAPTER 5 - Cattle Record Brands

Section 20901. - 20901. Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, cattle may...

Section 20902. - 20902. A cattle record brand shall be used only for...

Section 20903. - 20903. A cattle record brand shall not be recorded. (Enacted...

Section 20904. - 20904. A cattle record brand may be placed upon either...

Section 20905. - 20905. A cattle record brand for dairy cattle of the...

Section 20906. - 20906. A cattle record brand consists of: (a) Consecutive numerals,...

CHAPTER 6 - Inspection of Cattle

ARTICLE 1 - Requirements, Generally

Section 21051. - 21051. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, cattle shall...

Section 21051.3. - 21051.3. (a) Any person who moves or transports any animal...

Section 21051.4. - 21051.4. (a) In addition to any other penalty provided by...

Section 21051.5. - 21051.5. When brand inspection is not required under Section 21051,...

Section 21051.6. - 21051.6. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, for five years following...

Section 21052. - 21052. It is unlawful for any person who owns or...

Section 21053. - 21053. Inspection is not required prior to transportation from a...

Section 21054. - 21054. Inspection is not required in cases where cattle are...

Section 21055. - 21055. Inspection is not required prior to slaughter by licensed...

Section 21056. - 21056. Inspection is not required prior to slaughter of an...

Section 21057. - 21057. Except as provided in Section 21206, inspection is not...

Section 21058. - 21058. All cattle shipped pursuant to Section 21057 shall be...

Section 21059. - 21059. Inspection is not required for pasture-to-pasture movement in the...

Section 21060. - 21060. Inspection is not required in cases where the cattle...

Section 21060.4. - 21060.4. (a) Inspection is not required in cases where cattle...

Section 21060.5. - 21060.5. Any calves not exempt from inspection pursuant to Section...

Section 21060.7. - 21060.7. It is unlawful for any person to move or...

Section 21061. - 21061. The director may make regulations which govern the brand...

Section 21062. - 21062. All cattle shipped to a registered feedlot, licensed slaughterhouse,...

Section 21064. - 21064. A copy of the document required by Section 21062...

Section 21066. - 21066. Except as otherwise provided in subdivisions (b) and (h)...

Section 21067. - 21067. (a) The chief may issue an annual permit to...

Section 21068. - 21068. (a) The secretary may issue a special permit to...

Section 21069. - 21069. (a) The director may issue an annual release permit...

Section 21070. - 21070. (a) The secretary may issue an annual exhibition permit...

ARTICLE 2 - Feedlot Registration

Section 21081. - 21081. The operator of a feedlot as defined in Section...

Section 21082. - 21082. Registration consists of filing of a registration application with...

Section 21083. - 21083. The director may cancel the registration of any feedlot...

Section 21084. - 21084. The director may cancel the registration of any feedlot...

ARTICLE 3 - Modified Point-of-Origin Inspection Areas

Section 21111. - 21111. The secretary shall, by regulation, establish and maintain a...

Section 21111.5. - 21111.5. Cattle producers owning cattle in the affected area may,...

Section 21112. - 21112. A modified point-of-origin inspection area may consist of one...

ARTICLE 4 - Point of Origin Inspection Area

Section 21141. - 21141. The secretary shall, by regulation, establish and maintain a...

Section 21141.5. - 21141.5. A full point-of-origin inspection area may consist of one...

Section 21142. - 21142. Cattle producers owning cattle in the affected area may,...

ARTICLE 5 - Procedure

Section 21171. - 21171. Inspection of cattle consists of the examination of the...

Section 21172. - 21172. If inspection is required, the person that requests the...

Section 21172.2. - 21172.2. The director may, by regulation, provide that any person...

Section 21172.5. - 21172.5. The brand inspection of cattle as provided for in...

Section 21173. - 21173. If requested to do so, the person in charge...

Section 21174. - 21174. If, upon inspection, there is found any animal which...

Section 21175. - 21175. The shipper or person in charge of cattle being...

ARTICLE 6 - Certificate of Inspection

Section 21201. - 21201. It is unlawful for any inspector to issue a...

Section 21202. - 21202. If satisfied that the person that offers the cattle...

Section 21203. - 21203. The certificate of inspection shall be signed by the...

Section 21204. - 21204. One copy of the certificate of inspection shall accompany...

Section 21205. - 21205. Unless the inspector who issued the certificate is notified...

Section 21206. - 21206. Cattle which are shipped for slaughter from either of...

Section 21207. - 21207. Whenever the director upon the inspection provided for by...

Section 21208. - 21208. In addition to any other penalty, any person who...

ARTICLE 7 - Duplicate Brand Inspection Certificates

Section 21231. - 21231. Unless the shipment is released pursuant to Section 21233...

Section 21232. - 21232. The duplicate brand inspection certificate shall accompany to destination...

Section 21233. - 21233. The chief may release, or provide for the release...

Section 21236. - 21236. Any brand inspection certificate which has been altered, defaced,...

Section 21237. - 21237. Except as otherwise provided in Section 21236, it is...

Section 21238. - 21238. Except as otherwise provided in Section 21236, it is...

ARTICLE 8 - Shipping Permits

Section 21261. - 21261. The chief may provide for the issuance of shipping...

ARTICLE 9 - Fees

Section 21281. - 21281. All brand inspection fees are due and payable at...

Section 21281.5. - 21281.5. In addition to other applicable fees, as provided by...

Section 21282. - 21282. Any fees which are due and payable for brand...

Section 21283. - 21283. (a) Unless otherwise provided in this article, inspection fees...

Section 21283.5. - 21283.5. Except as otherwise provided in this article, on all...

Section 21284. - 21284. A charge shall not be made for the inspection...

Section 21285. - 21285. The fee is one dollar and fifty cents ($1.50)...

Section 21288. - 21288. In a modified point-of-origin inspection area, as provided in...

Section 21288.5. - 21288.5. For cattle, other than suckling calves accompanying their mothers,...

Section 21289. - 21289. The fee for the inspection of cattle which originated...

Section 21290.5. - 21290.5. Any person who receives cattle from any cattle sale...

Section 21291. - 21291. The fees which are provided in Article 9 (commencing...

Section 21292. - 21292. (a) The Bureau of Livestock Identification is authorized to...

ARTICLE 10 - Records and Memorandums

Section 21321. - 21321. The inspector shall make a memorandum which shows the...

Section 21322. - 21322. The memorandum of the inspection shall be retained for...

Section 21323. - 21323. The bureau shall maintain for a period of five...

CHAPTER 7 - Inspection of Hides and Carcasses

ARTICLE 1 - Requirements

Section 21451. - 21451. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, inspection of...

Section 21452. - 21452. The chief may provide for the release of hides...

Section 21453. - 21453. A new inspection need not be made of the...

Section 21455. - 21455. Every person not a licensed slaughterer that slaughters any...

Section 21456. - 21456. A person shall not have in his possession a...

Section 21457. - 21457. A person shall not remove any evidence of inspection...

Section 21458. - 21458. A person shall not sell, give away, deliver, transport,...

Section 21459. - 21459. A person shall not obliterate, alter, or remove a...

ARTICLE 2 - Procedure

Section 21482. - 21482. If, upon inspection, there is found any carcass or...

ARTICLE 4 - Duplicate Brand Inspection Certificates

Section 21531. - 21531. Unless the shipment is exempted under Section 21453 or...

Section 21532. - 21532. The chief may release, or provide for the release...

ARTICLE 5 - Fees

Section 21561. - 21561. All brand inspection fees are due and payable at...

Section 21562. - 21562. Any fees which are due and payable for brand...

Section 21563. - 21563. Except as otherwise provided in this article, the fee...

Section 21563.5. - 21563.5. The fee for the inspection of each carcass or...

Section 21565. - 21565. A charge shall not be made for the inspection...

ARTICLE 6 - Reports

Section 21591. - 21591. The bureau shall maintain for a period of five...

CHAPTER 8 - Sale and Gift of Cattle, Their Carcasses and Hides

ARTICLE 1 - Bills of Sale

Section 21701. - 21701. As used in this article, “animal” includes: (a) A...

Section 21702. - 21702. No person shall buy, sell, or accept any animal,...

Section 21702.1. - 21702.1. Any person who sells or otherwise transfers title to...

Section 21703. - 21703. Except as provided in Section 21058, bills of sale...

Section 21704. - 21704. The failure of the seller or donor to give...

Section 21705. - 21705. If by any provision of this division a certificate,...

Section 21706. - 21706. Any invoice of sale or bill of sale which...

Section 21707. - 21707. Except as otherwise provided in Section 21706, it is...

Section 21708. - 21708. An auctioneer shall not offer any milking cow for...

Section 21709. - 21709. Except as otherwise provided in Section 21706, it is...

Section 21710. - 21710. It is unlawful for any person to falsify any...

ARTICLE 2 - Public Salesyards

Section 21731. - 21731. Stockyards which are posted by the United States Department...

Section 21732. - 21732. The license and bond provisions of this article do...

Section 21733. - 21733. A person shall not engage in the business of...

Section 21734. - 21734. The bond required pursuant to Section 21733 is subject...

Section 21735. - 21735. Any amount which is recovered upon the bond shall...

Section 21736. - 21736. The bureau shall grant to every applicant that complies...

Section 21737. - 21737. A permit shall be granted by the bureau to...

Section 21738. - 21738. Each such license shall be renewed on or before...

Section 21743. - 21743. Any person that is engaged in the business of...

Section 21744. - 21744. Cattle shall not be released from a public stockyard,...

Section 21745. - 21745. The press-numbered bill of sale or press-numbered certificate of...

Section 21746. - 21746. The director may make regulations which govern the brand...

Section 21747. - 21747. It is unlawful for any person to sell cattle...

Section 21748. - 21748. It is unlawful for any person to release any...

Section 21749. - 21749. Except as otherwise provided in Section 21750, any person...

Section 21750. - 21750. Any public cattle salesyard operator that has had a...

Section 21751. - 21751. (a) If cattle sold at a public auction have...

CHAPTER 9 - Injury to, or Theft of, Cattle

ARTICLE 1 - Driving Cattle From Their Range

Section 21851. - 21851. As used in this article, “range” means the enclosed...

Section 21852. - 21852. Any person that is not the owner or does...

Section 21855. - 21855. Notwithstanding any other law, in any action for the...

Section 21856. - 21856. (a) The judge before whom any person is tried...

ARTICLE 2 - Livestock Killed or Injured on Railroads

Section 21881. - 21881. If any animal is killed or injured upon the...

Section 21882. - 21882. The report shall contain all of the following: (a)...

Section 21883. - 21883. The report shall be given by telephone, telegraph, or...

Section 21884. - 21884. Reports by telephone shall be confirmed within 24 hours...

Section 21885. - 21885. Upon receiving the report the officer or brand inspector...

Section 21886. - 21886. It is unlawful for any person to bury, conceal,...

CHAPTER 10 - Slaughter of Cattle

ARTICLE 1 - Generally

Section 22001. - 22001. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a person...

Section 22001.5. - 22001.5. The Legislature finds and declares that mobile slaughter operators...

Section 22002. - 22002. Any producer of cattle may slaughter or have slaughtered...

Section 22003. - 22003. Cattle which are slaughtered by or for the producer...

Section 22004. - 22004. Carcasses and hides received by the licensed frozen food...

Section 22004.1. - 22004.1. It is the responsibility of the person who slaughters...

Section 22005. - 22005. The skinning, splitting, and quartering of the cattle slaughtered...

Section 22006. - 22006. The licensed frozen food locker plant operator shall maintain...

Section 22007. - 22007. Any owner or producer of livestock may have them...

Section 22008. - 22008. Every person that is not a licensed slaughterer that...

Section 22009. - 22009. Any person who is requested to custom cut or...

Section 22010. - 22010. Any person receiving meat pursuant to Section 22009 shall...

ARTICLE 2 - Licensed Slaughterers

Section 22031. - 22031. A person shall not engage in the business of...

Section 22037. - 22037. (a) A mobile slaughter operator, as provided in Section...

Section 22044. - 22044. Every licensed slaughterer of cattle shall have on file...

Section 22045. - 22045. Every licensed slaughterer that slaughters cattle where inspection prior...

Section 22046. - 22046. Every licensed slaughterer that does not have brand inspection...

Section 22047. - 22047. It is unlawful for a licensed slaughterer to allow...

Section 22048. - 22048. If a licensed slaughterer desires to change to another...

Section 22049. - 22049. It is unlawful for a licensed slaughterer to slaughter...

ARTICLE 3 - Purchase and Sale of Meat

Section 22081. - 22081. A wholesaler of meat shall not purchase the meat...

Section 22082. - 22082. A peddler or retailer of meat shall not purchase...

Section 22083. - 22083. Every peddler or retailer of meat that purchases the...

Section 22084. - 22084. A person, other than a regular wholesaler of meat...

Section 22086. - 22086. It is unlawful for any person to misrepresent the...