---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 4401"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "4401"
heading: "Congressional findings and declaration of purpose"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/4401"
units:
  - "Chapter 75 — International Carriage of Perishable Foodstuffs"
---

# §4401. Congressional findings and declaration of purpose


Congress hereby finds and declares that—

- (1) the [United States](/usc/7/4402.md?p=6), as a member of the Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations, participated in development by that Commission of the [Agreement](/usc/7/4402.md?p=1) on the [International Carriage](/usc/7/4402.md?p=5) of [Perishable Foodstuffs](/usc/7/4402.md?p=4) and on the Special [Equipment](/usc/7/4402.md?p=3) to be Used for Such Carriage;
- (2) the [agreement](/usc/7/4402.md?p=1) requires that [equipment](/usc/7/4402.md?p=3) involved in the [international carriage](/usc/7/4402.md?p=5) of [perishable foodstuffs](/usc/7/4402.md?p=4) be inspected, tested, and certified to specified standards;
- (3) this chapter will make it possible for [equipment](/usc/7/4402.md?p=3) in the [United States](/usc/7/4402.md?p=6) to be inspected, tested, and certified in accordance with the [agreement](/usc/7/4402.md?p=1) and the standards specified therein; and
- (4) this chapter will improve the conditions for the movement of [perishable foodstuffs](/usc/7/4402.md?p=4) in [international carriage](/usc/7/4402.md?p=5) in [equipment](/usc/7/4402.md?p=3) owned or operated by [United States](/usc/7/4402.md?p=6) firms, which will serve to protect existing trade and promote expansion of trade in [perishable foodstuffs](/usc/7/4402.md?p=4), and will improve the sale of [United States](/usc/7/4402.md?p=6) manufactured [equipment](/usc/7/4402.md?p=3) for use in [international carriage](/usc/7/4402.md?p=5).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 97–325, § 2, Oct. 15, 1982, 96 Stat. 1603.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in pars. (3) and (4), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 97–325, Oct. 15, 1982, 96 Stat. 1603, known as the International Carriage of Perishable Foodstuffs Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out below and Tables.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title

Pub. L. 97–325, § 1, Oct. 15, 1982, 96 Stat. 1603, provided: “That this Act [enacting this chapter and section 2212c of this title, amending sections 5315 and 5316 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, repealing section 3 of Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1953, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 2212c of this title] may be cited as the ‘International Carriage of Perishable Foodstuffs Act’.”