55.50 Cancellation of license. 55.60 Surrender of license. 55.70 Identification.

55.80 Political activity.

55.90 Authority and duties of inspectors performing service on a resident inspection basis.

55.95 Facilities and equipment to be furnished for use of graders and inspectors in performing service on a resident inspection basis.

55.96 Schedule of operation of official plants.

APPLICATION FOR SERVICE

55.100 Who may obtain service. 55.120 Authority of applicant. 55.130 How application for service may be made; conditions of resident service. 55.140 Application for inspection in official plants; approval.

55.150 When application may be rejected. 55.160 When application may be withdrawn. 55.170 Order of service.

55.180 Suspension of plant approval.

$55.2 Terms defined.

For the purpose of the regulations in this part, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall be construed, respectively:

Act means the applicable provisions of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (60 Stat. 1087; 7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.), or any other Act of Congress conferring like authority.

Administrator means the Administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department or any other officer or employee of the Department to whom there has heretofore been delegated, or to whom there may hereafter be delegated the authority to act in his stead.

Applicant means any interested party who requests any grading or inspection service, or appeal grading or appeal inspection, with respect to any product.

Chief of the Grading Branch means the Chief of the Poultry Grading Branch, Poultry Division, Agricultural Marketing Service.

Class means any subdivision of a product based on essential physical characteristics that differentiate between major groups of the same kind, species, or method of processing.

Condition means any condition (including, but not being limited to, the state of preservation, cleanliness, soundness, wholesomeness, or fitness for human food) of any product which affects its merchantability; or any condition, including, but not being limited to, the processing, handling, or packaging which affects such product.

Department means the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Eggs of Current Production means shell eggs which have moved through the usual marketing channels since the time they were laid and are not in excess of 60 days old.

Holiday or Legal holiday shall mean the legal public holidays specified by the Congress in paragraph (a) of section 6103, Title 5, of the United States Code.

Inspection/grading means (1) the act of determining, according to the regulations, the class, quality, quantity, or condition of any product by examining each unit thereof or a representative sample drawn by a grader; (2) the act of issuing a certificate; or (3) the act of identifying, when requested by the applicant, any product by means of official identification pursuant to the Act and this part.

Inspection and grading certificate or certificate means a statement, either written or printed, issued by a grader or inspector pursuant to the Act and this part, relative to the class, quality, quantity, and condition of products.

Inspector/grader means any employee of the Department authorized by the Secretary, or any other person to whom a license has been issued by the Secretary, to investigate and certify, in accordance with the Act and this part, to shippers of products and other interested parties the class, quality, quantity, and condition of such products.

Interested party means any person financially interested in a transaction involving any grading, inspection, or appeal grading or inspection of any product.

National Supervisor means (1) the officer in charge of the service of AMS, and (2) such other employee of AMS as may be designated by him.

Office of grading means the office of any grader or inspector.

Official plant means any plant in which the facilities and methods of operation therein have been found by the Administrator to be suitable and adequate for grading service or inspection in accordance with this part and in which such service is carried on.

Person means any individual, partnership, association, business trust, corporation, or any organized group of persons, whether incorporated or not.

Product or products means eggs (whether liquid, frozen, or dried), egg products and any food product which is prepared or manufactured and contains eggs as an ingredient.

Quality means the

inherent properties of any product which determine its relative degree of excellence.

Regional Director means any employee of the Department in charge of the service in a designated geographical

area.

Regulations means the provisions in this part.

Sampling means the act of taking samples of any product for grading or inspection.

Secretary means the Secretary of the Department or any other officer or employee of the Department to whom there has heretofore been delegated, or to whom there may hereafter be delegated, the authority to act in his stead.

Service means (1) any grading or inspection, in accordance with the Act and the regulations in this part, of any product, (2) supervision, in any official plant, of the preparation or packaging of any product, or (3) any appeal grading or appeal inspection of any previously graded or inspected product.

Shell eggs means the shell eggs of the domesticated chicken, turkey, duck, goose, and guinea.

[36 FR 11795, June 19, 1971, as amended at 36 FR 19301, Oct. 2, 1971; 37 FR 17816, Sept. 1, 1972. Redesignated at 42 FR 32514, June 27, 1977, and amended at 43 FR 60137, Dec. 26, 1978. Redesignated at 46 FR 63203, Dec. 31, 1981, and amended at 47 FR 46069, Oct. 15, 1982; 47 FR 54421, Dec. 3, 1982]

§ 55.5 Designation of official certificates, memoranda, marks, other identifications, and devices for purposes of the Agricultural Marketing Act.

Subsection 203(h) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended by Pub. L. 272, 84th Congress, provides criminal penalties for various specified offenses relating to official certificates, memoranda, marks or other identifications, and devices for making such marks or identifications, issued or authorized under section 203 of said Act, and certain misrepresentations concerning the inspection or grading of agricultural products under said section. For the purposes of said subsection and the provisions in this part, the terms listed below shall have the respective meanings specified:

(a) Official certificate means any form of certification, either written or printed, used under this part to certify with respect to the sampling, inspection, class, grade, quality, size, quantity, or condition of products (including the compliance of products with applicable specifications).

(b) Official memorandum means any initial record of findings made by an authorized person in the process of grading, inspecting, or sampling pursuant to this part, any processing or plant-operation report made by an authorized person in connection with grading, inspecting, or sampling under this part and any report made by an authorized person of services performed pursuant to this part.

(c) Official mark means the grade mark, inspection mark, and any other mark or symbol formulated pursuant to the regulations in this part, stating that the product was graded or inspected, or for the purpose of maintaining the identity of the product.

(d) Official identification means any United States (U.S.) standard designation of class, grade, quality, size, quantity, or condition specified in this part or any symbol, stamp, label, or seal indicating that the product has been officially graded or inspected and/or indicating the class, grade, quality, size, quantity, or condition of the product approved by the Administrator and authorized to be affixed to any product,

or affixed to or printed on the packaging material of any product.

(e) Official device means a printed label, or other method as approved by the Administrator for the purpose of applying any official mark or other identification to any product of the packaging material thereof.

ADMINISTRATION

§ 55.10 Authority.

The Administrator shall perform, for and under the supervision of the Secretary, such duties as the Secretary may require in the enforcement or administration of the provisions of the Act and this part. The Administrator is authorized to waive for a limited period any particular provisions of the regulations in this part to permit experimentation so that new procedures, equipment, and processing techniques may be tested to facilitate definite improvements and at the same time to determine full compliance with the spirit and intent of the regulations in this part. The Agricultural Marketing Service and its officers and employees shall not be liable in damages through acts of commission or omission in the administration of this part.

[42 FR 2969, Jan. 14, 1977. Redesignated at 42 FR 32514, June 27, 1977, and at 46 FR 63203, Dec. 31, 1981]

§ 55.11 Nondiscrimination.

The conduct of all services and the licensing of graders and inspectors under these regulations shall be accomplished without discrimination as to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or disability.

[40 FR 20055, May 8, 1975. Redesignated at 42 FR 32514, June 27, 1977, and at 46 FR 63203, Dec. 31, 1981; 60 FR 49168, Sept. 21, 1995]

GENERAL

§ 55.20 Kinds of services available. The regulations in this part provide for the following kinds of services: (a) Inspection of the processing of products containing eggs in official plants.

(b) Sampling of products.

(c) Quantity and condition inspection of products.

[36 FR 11795, June 19, 1971. Redesignated at 42 FR 32514, June 27, 1977 and at 46 FR 63203, Dec. 31, 1981, and amended at 58 FR 42413, Aug. 9, 1993]

§ 55.22 Where service is offered.

Any product may be graded or inspected wherever a grader or inspector is available and the facilities and the conditions are satisfactory for the conduct of the service.

§ 55.24 Basis of service.

(a) Products shall be graded or inspected in accordance with such standards, methods, and instructions as may be issued or approved by the Administrator. All service shall be subject to supervision at all times by the applicable State supervisor, egg products supervisor, Regional Director, and National Supervisor. Whenever the supervisor of a grader or inspector has evidence that such grader or inspector incorrectly graded or inspected a product, such supervisor shall take such action as is necessary to correct the grading or inspection and to cause any improper official identification which appears on the product or containers thereof to be corrected prior to shipment of the product from the place of the initial grading or inspection.

(b) Whenever service is performed on a sample basis, such sample shall be drawn in accordance with the instructions as issued by the Administrator.

§ 55.25 OMB control numbers assigned pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act.

(a) Purpose. This section collects and displays the control numbers assigned to information collection requirements by the Office of Management and Budget contained in 7 CFR part 55 pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, Pub. L. 96–511. (b) Display.

[49 FR 2880, Jan. 24, 1984, as amended at 55 FR 23421, June 8, 1990]

PERFORMANCE OF SERVICES

§ 55.30 Licensed graders and inspectors.

(a) Any person who is a Federal or State employee, the employee of a local jurisdiction, or the employee of a cooperating agency possessing proper qualifications as determined by an examination for competency and who is to perform grading service under this part, may be licensed by the Secretary as a grader or inspector.

(b) All licenses issued by the Secretary are to be countersigned by the officer-in-charge of the service of the Agricultural Marketing Service or by any other official of AMS designated by such officer.

(c) No person may be licensed to grade or inspect any product in which he is financially interested.

[36 FR 11795, June 19, 1971, as amended at 37 FR 12918, June 30, 1972. Redesignated at 42 FR 32514, June 27, 1977, and at 46 FR 63203, Dec. 31, 1981]

§ 55.40 Suspension of license; revocation.

Pending final action by the Secretary, any person authorized to countersign a license to perform service may, whenever he deems such action necessary to assure that any grading or inspection services are properly performed, suspend any license to perform

grading or inspection service issued pursuant to this part, by giving notice of such suspension to the respective licensee, accompanied by a statement of the reasons therefor. Within 7 days after the receipt of the aforesaid notice and statement of reasons, the licensee may file an appeal in writing, with the Secretary, supported by any argument or evidence that he may wish to offer as to why his license should not be further suspended or revoked. After the expiration of the aforesaid 7-day period and consideration of such argument and evidence, the Secretary will take such action as he deems appropriate with respect to such suspension or revocation. When no appeal is filed within the prescribed 7 days, the license to perform grading or inspection service is revoked.

§ 55.50 Cancellation of license.

Upon termination of his services as a grader or inspector, each licensee shall surrender his license immediately for cancellation.

§ 55.60 Surrender of license.

Each license which is canceled, suspended, or revoked shall immediately be surrendered by the licensee to the office of the service in the region in which he is located.

§ 55.70 Identification.

All graders, inspectors, and supervisors shall have in their possession at all times while on duty and present upon request the means of identification furnished by the Department to such person.

§ 55.80 Political activity.

All graders and inspectors are forbidden during the period of their respective appointments or licenses, to take an active part in political management or in political campaigns. Political activity in city, county, State, or national elections, whether primary or regular, or in behalf of any party or candidate is prohibited, except as authorized by law or regulation of the Department. This applies to all appointees, including, but not being limited to, temporary and cooperative employees and employees on leave of ab

sence with or without pay. Willful violation of this section will constitute grounds for dismissal in the case of appointees and revocation of licenses in the case of licensees.

[36 FR 11795, June 19, 1971, as amended at 42 FR 2969, Jan. 14, 1977. Redesignated at 42 FR 32514, June 27, 1977, and at 46 FR 63203, Dec. 31, 1981]

§ 55.90 Authority and duties of inspectors performing service on a resident inspection basis.

(a) Each inspector is authorized:

(1) To make such observations and inspections as he deems necessary to enable him to certify that products have been prepared, processed, stored, and otherwise handled in conformity with the regulations in this part;

(2) To supervise the marking of packages containing products which are eligible to be identified with official identification;

(3) To retain in his custody, or under his supervision, labels with official identification, marking devices, samples, certificates, seals, and reports of inspectors;

(4) To deface or remove, or cause to be defaced or removed under his personal supervision, any official identification from any package containing products whenever he determines that such products were not processed in accordance with the regulations in this part or are not fit for human food;

(5) To issue a certificate upon request on any product processed in the official plant; and

(6) To use retention tags or other devices and methods as may be approved by the Administrator for the identification and control of products which are not in compliance with the regulations in this part or are held for further examination, and any equipment, utensils, rooms or compartments which are found to be unclean or otherwise in violation of any of the regulations in this part. No product, equipment, utensil, room or compartment shall be released for use until it has been made acceptable. Such identification shall not be removed by anyone other than inspector or grader.