0209 - Pig fat, free of lean meat, and poultry fat, not rendered or otherwise extracted, fresh, chilled, frozen, salted, in brine, dried or smoked:

Heading 0209 encompasses fat derived from pigs and poultry, specifically when it is free of lean meat and has not undergone rendering or other extraction processes. This means the fat is in its raw or minimally processed state, such as fresh, chilled, frozen, salted, in brine, dried, or smoked. The key characteristic is the presence of the fat itself, distinct from the meat.

This heading is situated within Chapter 2 of the HTS, which broadly covers "Meat and edible offal." While siblings in Chapter 2 might include live animals (e.g., 0101-0105), Heading 0209 specifically deals with the fat component of these animals, not the live creatures themselves. It is crucial to differentiate this heading from headings covering rendered fats or oils, which would be classified elsewhere in the HTS based on their further processing.

Within Heading 0209, the fat is further distinguished based on its origin. Subcategory 0209.10.00.00 is reserved for pig fat, while the residual category, 0209.90.00.00, covers fat from other poultry. This subdivision allows for a more precise classification of the specific type of raw animal fat being imported or exported.