Code of Federal Regulations Title 9. Animals and Animal Products § 9.321.1 Assistance to State and Territorial programs

(a) The Administrator is authorized under paragraph (a) of section 301 of the Act, when he determines it would effectuate the purposes of the Act, to cooperate with any State (including Puerto Rico) or any organized Territory in developing and administering the meat inspection program of such jurisdiction with a view to assuring that it imposes and enforces requirements at least equal to those under Titles I and IV of the Act, with respect to establishments at which products are prepared for use as human food solely for distribution within such jurisdiction, and with respect to the products of such establishments. Such cooperation is authorized if the jurisdiction has enacted a law imposing mandatory ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection, reinspection, and sanitation requirements at least equal to the Federal requirements with respect to all or certain classes of persons engaged in slaughtering livestock or otherwise preparing products solely for distribution within such jurisdiction.

(b) The Administrator is also authorized under paragraph (a) of section 301 of the Act to cooperate with any State (including Puerto Rico) or any organized Territory in developing and administering programs under the laws of such jurisdiction containing authorities at least equal to those in Title II of the Act (relating to records;  registration of specified classes of operators;  dead, dying, disabled, or diseased livestock;  and products not intended for human food), when he determines that such cooperation would effectuate the purposes of the Act.

(c) Such cooperation may include advisory assistance, technical and laboratory assistance and training, and financial aid. The Federal contribution to any State (or Territory) may not exceed 50 percent of the estimated total cost of the cooperative State (or Territorial) program. A cooperative program under this section is called a State–Federal program.