# Law No. 6198 of December 26, 1974

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105659969](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105659969)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-6198-of-december-26-1974

## Summary

**Law No. 6198 of December 26, 1974** (Portuguese: Lei nº 6198, de 26 de dezembro de 1974) is a Brazilian federal statute that establishes mandatory inspection and supervision requirements for products intended for animal feed. Promulgated by President Ernesto Geisel during Brazil's military government period, the law delegates regulatory authority to the Ministry of Agriculture and applies across all Brazilian federative units, the Federal District, and federal territories.

## Key Facts

- **Full Title:** Lei nº 6198, de 26 de dezembro de 1974
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 6198/1974
- **Classification:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Country:** Brazil
- **Publication Date:** December 26, 1974
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Promulgating Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Approving Official:** Ernesto Geisel (President of Brazil)
- **Promulgation Method:** Presidential promulgation
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **LexML Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1974-12-26;6198
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1970-1979/l6198.htm
- **Subject Matter:** Mandatory inspection and supervision of products destined for animal feed (Inspeção e Fiscalização Obrigatórias dos Produtos Destinados a Alimentação Animal)
- **Primary Regulatory Body:** Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil (Ministério da Agricultura)
- **Jurisdiction:** All of Brazil (federative units, Federal District, and federal territories)
- **WikiProject Affiliation:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs

**What is the purpose of Law No. 6198/1974?**
Law No. 6198/1974 establishes the legal framework for mandatory inspection and supervision of products intended for animal feed in Brazil. It ensures that animal feed products sold, distributed, or used within Brazilian territory meet regulatory standards set by the federal government.

**Which government authority is responsible for enforcing this law?**
The Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil (Ministério da Agricultura) holds primary responsibility for executing and enforcing the inspection and supervision mandates established by this law. The law operates under the competency of the Federal Government of Brazil (União Federal).

**Who must comply with Law No. 6198/1974?**
Both natural persons (Pessoa Física) and juridical persons (Pessoa Jurídica) engaged in the production, sale, distribution, or handling of animal feed products must comply. The law applies throughout all Brazilian states, the Federal District, and federal territories.

**What activities does this law regulate?**
The law governs registration, sale (Venda), distribution (Distribuição), service provision (Serviço), and the final destination (Destinação) of animal feed products. It establishes mandatory compliance obligations (Obrigatoriedade) and frameworks for agreements (Convênio) between governmental entities.

## Why It Matters

Law No. 6198 of December 26, 1974 represents a significant regulatory milestone in Brazil's agricultural and food safety framework. By establishing mandatory inspection and supervision of animal feed products, the law addresses critical public health and economic concerns that extend far beyond agricultural policy.

Animal feed quality directly impacts the safety of the human food supply chain, as livestock consuming contaminated or substandard feed can transfer toxins, pathogens, and other harmful substances to meat, dairy, and egg products consumed by humans. This law creates a preventive regulatory mechanism that protects Brazilian consumers while simultaneously ensuring the integrity of Brazil's agricultural exports.

The law also matters for Brazil's position as a global agricultural powerhouse. As one of the world's largest producers and exporters of animal products—including beef, poultry, and pork—Brazil relies on regulatory frameworks like Law No. 6198/1974 to maintain international market access. Foreign trading partners and international food safety organizations require demonstrable regulatory oversight of animal feed as a condition for accepting Brazilian animal products.

From an administrative law perspective, this statute exemplifies the Brazilian federal government's approach to regulatory federalism. By vesting authority in the Ministry of Agriculture while establishing frameworks for cooperation (Convênio) between federal, state, and territorial authorities, the law creates a coordinated regulatory network capable of enforcement across Brazil's vast and geographically diverse territory.

The law's promulgation by President Ernesto Geisel in December 1974 places it within the context of Brazil's military dictatorship period (1964-1985), reflecting the centralized regulatory approach characteristic of that era while establishing enduring institutional structures that continue to govern Brazilian agricultural regulation.

## Notable For

- **Foundational Animal Feed Regulation:** Establishes the first comprehensive federal statutory framework for mandatory inspection and supervision of animal feed products in Brazil
- **Ministry of Agriculture Authority:** Formally delegates regulatory competency to Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture, creating specialized oversight for the agricultural sector
- **Universal Territorial Application:** Applies uniformly across all Brazilian federative units, the Federal District (Distrito Federal), and federal territories (Territórios Federais)
- **Compliance Scope:** Regulates both natural persons (Pessoa Física) and juridical persons (Pessoa Jurídica), ensuring comprehensive coverage of all market participants
- **Supply Chain Coverage:** Addresses the complete product lifecycle including registration, sales, distribution, service provision, and final destination
- **Federal Coordination Framework:** Establishes mechanisms for agreements (Convênio) enabling cooperation between federal authorities and subnational jurisdictions
- **Historical Context:** Promulgated during the presidency of Ernesto Geisel, representing the regulatory priorities of Brazil's military government period
- **Digital Accessibility:** Official text available through Brazil's federal government portal (planalto.gov.br) and indexed in the LexML Brazil legal documentation system

## Body

### Legislative Classification and Formal Identity

Law No. 6198 of December 26, 1974 constitutes a formal **statute**—a written legal instrument that creates binding law within the Brazilian legal system. Statutes represent the manifestation of statutory law and function as official records of legal rules enacted by governmental authority. In the hierarchy of Brazilian legal instruments, this law operates as federal legislation with nationwide application.

The law carries the formal legal citation **Lei nº 6198/1974** and is cataloged in Brazil's LexML documentation system under the persistent identifier `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1974-12-26;6198`. This URN (Uniform Resource Name) follows the LexML Brazil standard for legal document identification, incorporating the jurisdiction (br:federal), document type (lei), date of enactment (1974-12-26), and law number (6198) into a machine-readable format that enables precise legal citation and retrieval.

### Subject Matter and Regulatory Scope

The law's official digest specifies its purpose: **"DISPÕE SOBRE A INSPEÇÃO E A FISCALIZAÇÃO OBRIGATORIAS DOS PRODUTOS DESTINADOS A ALIMENTAÇÃO ANIMAL E DA OUTRAS PROVIDENCIAS"** (Provides for mandatory inspection and supervision of products destined for animal feed and establishes other provisions). This establishes the law's core regulatory domain: animal feed products intended for consumption by livestock and other animals.

The statute addresses the following regulatory subjects as explicitly stated in the law:

- **Registration (Registro):** Requirements for officially recording and cataloging animal feed products with regulatory authorities
- **Inspection and Supervision (Fiscalização):** Mandatory governmental oversight of animal feed products
- **Competency (Competência):** Defines which governmental bodies hold regulatory authority
- **Products (Produto):** The animal feed items subject to regulation
- **Sales (Venda):** Commercial transactions involving regulated products
- **Distribution (Distribuição):** The supply chain movement of animal feed products
- **Service (Serviço):** Related service activities in the animal feed sector
- **Execution (Execução):** Implementation and enforcement of regulatory requirements
- **Obligation (Obrigatoriedade):** Mandatory compliance requirements
- **Destination (Destinação):** End-use considerations for regulated products

### Jurisdictional Application

Law No. 6198/1974 applies across the entirety of Brazilian territory through its application to multiple jurisdictional levels:

- **Federative Units of Brazil (Estados):** Brazil's 26 states fall under the law's regulatory framework
- **Federal District (Distrito Federal - DF):** The special administrative district containing Brasília
- **Federal Territories (Territórios Federais):** Any federal territories existing under Brazilian constitutional arrangement

The law assigns primary regulatory competency to the **Federal Government of Brazil (União Federal)**, establishing this as a matter of federal rather than state or municipal jurisdiction. This centralization reflects the national importance of agricultural product standardization and the need for uniform regulatory application across Brazil's extensive territory.

### Regulatory Authority and Implementation

The **Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil (Ministério da Agricultura - MAGR)** serves as the primary regulatory authority designated under this statute. The Ministry holds responsibility for:

- Executing inspection and supervision activities
- Establishing technical standards for animal feed products
- Processing registrations and maintaining official records
- Enforcing compliance obligations

The law references **agreements (Convênio)** as a mechanism for regulatory coordination, suggesting frameworks for cooperation between the federal Ministry of Agriculture and state or local authorities. This allows for practical implementation while maintaining federal regulatory standards.

### Promulgation and Executive Authority

President **Ernesto Geisel** promulgated Law No. 6198/1974 on December 26, 1974, acting in his capacity as head of the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. Geisel served as Brazil's president from 1974 to 1979 during the military dictatorship period, and this law represents part of the regulatory infrastructure established during his administration.

The promulgation took place in **Brasília**, Brazil's federal capital since 1960. This location aligns with constitutional requirements for federal law publication and the seat of federal government operations.

### Regulated Entities and Compliance

The law establishes compliance obligations for two categories of legal subjects:

- **Natural Persons (Pessoa Física):** Individual citizens engaged in activities involving animal feed products
- **Juridical Persons (Pessoa Jurídica):** Corporate entities, partnerships, cooperatives, and other legally constituted organizations

This comprehensive scope ensures that all market participants—whether individual farmers, small businesses, or large agricultural corporations—fall within the regulatory framework.

### Document Availability and Access

The official text of Law No. 6198/1974 is publicly accessible through multiple channels:

- **Official Government Portal:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1970-1979/l6198.htm (hosted by the Presidency of the Republic's Civil House)
- **LexML Brazil:** Indexed under URN `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1974-12-26;6198` with retrieval available through the LexML portal at https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1974-12-26;6198

The law is written and published in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of Brazil.

### Context Within Brazilian Legal Framework

Law No. 6198/1974 operates within the broader context of Brazilian agricultural and food safety law. As a federal statute, it derives authority from Brazil's constitutional framework and interacts with other legislation governing agricultural production, food safety, consumer protection, and public health.

The law's placement within the 1970-1979 legislative period (as indicated by its URL path structure on planalto.gov.br) situates it alongside other federal legislation enacted during Brazil's military government era. Many regulatory frameworks established during this period continue to govern Brazilian economic activity decades later, often with subsequent amendments or supplementary regulations.

### Knowledge Base Integration

Law No. 6198/1974 is indexed within knowledge management systems including:

- **WikiProject Brazilian Laws:** The law appears on the focus list of this Wikimedia project dedicated to documenting Brazilian legislation
- **Wikidata:** Structured data about the law is maintained with property assertions covering title, dates, jurisdiction, subjects, and related entities

The law's classification as a **statute** places it within the category of formal written documents that create law, alongside acts, executive orders, and by-laws. In semantic web ontologies, statutes correspond to the `https://schema.org/Legislation` class, enabling machine-readable representation of legal instruments.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1974-12-26;6198)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=6198&ano=1974&data=26/12/1974&ato=8a6cXS65kenRVTcbe)
3. LexML Brasil