(a) It is unlawful for any person except employes of the United States Department of Agriculture, the department, or an authorized municipal inspection department, to possess, use or keep an inspection stamp, mark or brand provided or used for stamping, marking, branding, or otherwise identifying, carcasses of meat, meat food, meat by-products or poultry products, or to possess, use or keep any stamp, mark or brand having thereon a device, words or insignia the same or similar in character or import to the stamps, marks or brands provided or used by the United States Department of Agriculture, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture or any approved municipal inspection department for stamping, marking, branding or otherwise identifying the carcasses of meat or poultry or meat, meat food products, meat by-products and poultry products or parts thereof intended for human food.

(b) Each carcass that has been inspected and passed shall be marked at the time of the inspection with the inspection legend. Each primal part of a carcass shall be marked and each beef heart, beef tongue and beef liver that has been inspected and passed shall be branded with the inspection legend before it leaves the establishment. Meat that has been boned out, cut from primal parts or otherwise changed so that the inspection legend is no longer plainly visible, meat that is too small to be marked with the inspection legend and poultry, shall be packaged in closed containers to which shall be affixed the legend indicating that the meat or poultry has been inspected and passed. Upon removal of the meat or poultry from the containers bearing such inspection legend the legend shall be defaced to prevent its reissue.