54.13—Accessibility and refrigeration of products; access to establishments.
(a)
The applicant shall cause products, with respect to which service is requested, to be made easily accessible for examination and to be so placed, with adequate illuminating facilities, as to disclose their class, grade, other quality, and compliance. Supervisors of grading and other employees of the Department responsible for maintaining uniformity and accuracy of service under the regulations shall have access to all parts of establishments covered by approved applications for service under the regulations, for the purpose of examining all products in the establishments which have been or are to be graded or examined for compliance with specifications or which bear any marks of grade or compliance.
(b)
Grading service will only be furnished for meat that a USDA grader determines is chilled so that grade factors are developed to the extent that a proper grade determination can be made in accordance with the official standards. To be eligible for grading, beef carcasses must be ribbed at least 10 minutes prior to being offered for grading. Meat that is presented in a frozen condition shall not be eligible for a grade determination. Meat of all eligible species shall be graded only in the establishment where the animal was slaughtered or initially chilled (except for veal and calf carcasses, which shall be graded only after the hide is removed and only in the establishment where such removal occurs). The Director may grant prior approval for grading at a location other than the establishment of slaughter or initial chill upon notification to the Division if the Branch was unable to provide grading service in a timely manner and that the meat can be identified in conformance with the standards.