[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 9, Volume 2]

[Revised as of January 1, 2007]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 9CFR317.20]



[Page 182]

 

                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS

 

     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 

                               AGRICULTURE

 

PART 317_LABELING, MARKING DEVICES, AND CONTAINERS--Table of Contents

 

                            Subpart A_General

 

Sec. 317.20  Scale requirements for accurate weights, repairs, adjustments, and replacement after inspection.



    (a) All scales used to weigh meat products sold or otherwise 

distributed in commerce in federally inspected meat establishments shall 

be installed, maintained and operated to insure accurate weights. Such 

scales shall meet the applicable requirements contained in National 

Institute of Standards and Technology Handbook 44, ``Specifications, 

Tolerances, and Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring 

Devices'', 1999 Edition, November 1998, which is incorporated by 

reference. This incorporation was approved by the Director of the 

Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 

(These materials are incorporated as they exist on the date of 

approval.) Copies may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, 

U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. It is also 

available for inspection at the National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this 

material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/

federal--register/code--of--federal--regulations/ibr--locations.html.

    (b) All scales used to weigh meat products sold or otherwise 

distributed in commerce or in States designated under section 301(c) of 

the Federal Meat Inspection Act, shall be of sufficient capacity to 

weigh the entire unit and/or package.

    (c) No scale shall be used at a federally inspected establishment to 

weigh meat products unless it has been found upon test and inspection, 

as specified in NIST Handbook 44, to provide accurate weight. If a scale 

is reinspected or retested and found to be inaccurate, or if any 

repairs, adjustments or replacements are made to a scale, it shall not 

be used until it has been inspected and tested by a USDA official, or a 

State or local government weights and measures official, or State 

registered or licensed scale repair firm or person, and it must meet all 

accuracy requirements as specified in NIST Handbook 44. If a USDA 

inspector has put a retain tag on a scale it can only be removed by a 

USDA inspector. As long as the tag is on the scale, it shall not be 

used.



[55 FR 49834, Nov. 30, 1990, as amended at 60 FR 12884, Mar. 9, 1995; 64 

FR 53187, Oct. 1, 1999]