What This Bill Does
This bill updates federal law to require country of origin labeling on beef products. It asks the U.S. Trade Representative and Secretary of Agriculture to figure out how to reinstate mandatory country of origin labeling for beef in a way that follows World Trade Organization rules.
Who It Affects
Beef producers and sellers who must label their products. The U.S. Trade Representative and Secretary of Agriculture who must determine and implement the labeling approach. Consumers who purchase beef products.
Key Provisions
• The law defines "beef" as meat produced from cattle, including veal. (Sec. 2(a))
• Beef and ground beef are added to the list of products that require country of origin labeling notices. (Sec. 2(b))
• The U.S. Trade Representative, working with the Secretary of Agriculture, has 180 days after the bill becomes law to figure out a way to reinstate mandatory country of origin labeling for beef that complies with World Trade Organization rules. (Sec. 2(c)(1))
• The U.S. Trade Representative and Secretary of Agriculture have 1 year after the bill becomes law to put the labeling method into effect. (Sec. 2(c)(2))
What Changes
Beef products become subject to country of origin labeling requirements. A process starts to make labeling of beef mandatory following World Trade Organization standards.
Important Definitions
Beef: meat produced from cattle, including veal. (Sec. 2(a))
Effective Date
The labeling amendments take effect on whichever comes first: when the Secretary of Agriculture announces in the Federal Register that the labeling method has been put into effect, or 1 year after the bill becomes law. (Sec. 2(d))
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 52
To amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to establish country of
origin labeling requirements for beef, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
JANUARY 24 (legislative day, JANUARY 3), 2023
Mr. THUNE (for himself, Mr. TESTER, Mr. ROUNDS, Mr. BOOKER, Ms. LUM-
MIS, and Mrs. GILLIBRAND) introduced the following bill; which was read
twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and For-
estry
A BILL
To amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to estab-
lish country of origin labeling requirements for beef,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Beef Label-
4
ing Act of 2023’’.
5
SEC. 2. COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING FOR BEEF.
6
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 281 of the Agricultural
7
Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1638) is amended—
8
VerDate Sep 11 2014
03:37 Jan 28, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S52.IS
S52
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2
•S 52 IS
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through
1
(7) as paragraphs (2) through (8), respectively;
2
(2) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so re-
3
designated) the following:
4
‘‘(1) BEEF.—The term ‘beef’ means meat pro-
5
duced from cattle (including veal).’’; and
6
(3) in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) (as
7
so redesignated)—
8
(A) in clause (i), by inserting ‘‘, beef,’’
9
after ‘‘lamb’’; and
10
(B) in clause (ii), by inserting ‘‘, ground
11
beef,’’ after ‘‘lamb’’.
12
(b) NOTICE
OF
COUNTRY
OF
ORIGIN.—Section
13
282(a)(2) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7
14
U.S.C. 1638a(a)(2)) is amended—
15
(1) in the paragraph heading, by inserting
16
‘‘BEEF,’’ after ‘‘FOR’’;
17
(2) in each of subparagraphs (A) through (D),
18
by inserting ‘‘beef,’’ before ‘‘lamb’’ each place it ap-
19
pears; and
20
(3) in subparagraph (E)—
21
(A) in the subparagraph heading, by in-
22
serting ‘‘BEEF,’’ after ‘‘GROUND’’; and
23
(B) by inserting ‘‘ground beef,’’ before
24
‘‘ground lamb’’ each place it appears.
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
03:37 Jan 28, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S52.IS
S52
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3
•S 52 IS
(c) MEANS OF REINSTATING MCOOL FOR BEEF.—
1
(1) DETERMINATION
OF
MEANS.—Not later
2
than 180 days after the date of enactment of this
3
Act, the United States Trade Representative, in con-
4
sultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall de-
5
termine a means of reinstating mandatory country
6
of origin labeling for beef in accordance with the
7
amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) that is
8
in compliance with all applicable rules of the World
9
Trade Organization.
10
(2) IMPLEMENTATION
OF
MEANS.—Not later
11
than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act,
12
the United States Trade Representative and the Sec-
13
retary of Agriculture shall implement the means de-
14
termined under paragraph (1).
15
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
16
subsections (a) and (b) take effect on the earlier of—
17
(1) the date on which the Secretary of Agri-
18
culture publishes a determination in the Federal
19
Register that the means determined under para-
20
graph (1) of subsection (c) have been implemented
21
under paragraph (2) of that subsection; and
22
(2) the date that is 1 year after the date of en-
23
actment of this Act.
24
Æ
VerDate Sep 11 2014
03:37 Jan 28, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\S52.IS
S52
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS