[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 280 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 280
To amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to require retailers of
beef, lamb, pork, and perishable agricultural commodities to inform
consumers, at the final point of sale to consumers, of the country of
origin of the commodities.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 7, 2001
Mr. Johnson (for himself, Mr. Graham, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Enzi, Mr.
Baucus, Mr. Cleland, Mr. Daschle, and Mr. Hollings) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to require retailers of
beef, lamb, pork, and perishable agricultural commodities to inform
consumers, at the final point of sale to consumers, of the country of
origin of the commodities.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Consumer Right-to-Know Act of
2001''.
SEC. 2. COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING.
The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Subtitle C--Country of Origin Labeling
``SEC. 271. DEFINITIONS.
``In this subtitle:
``(1) Beef.--The term `beef' means meat produced from
cattle (including veal).
``(2) Covered commodity.--The term `covered commodity'
means--
``(A) muscle cuts of beef, lamb, and pork;
``(B) ground beef, ground lamb, and ground pork;
and
``(C) a perishable agricultural commodity.
``(3) Food service establishment.--The term `food service
establishment' means a restaurant, cafeteria, lunch room, food
stand, saloon, tavern, bar, lounge, or other similar facility
operated as an enterprise engaged in the business of selling
food to the public.
``(4) Lamb.--The term `lamb' means meat, other than mutton,
produced from sheep.
``(5) Perishable agricultural commodity; retailer.--The
terms `perishable agricultural commodity' and `retailer' have
the meanings given the terms in section 1(b) of the Perishable
Agricultural Commodities Act, 1930 (7 U.S.C. 499a(b)).
``(6) Pork.--The term `pork' means meat produced from hogs.
``(7) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary
of Agriculture, acting through the Agricultural Marketing
Service.
``SEC. 272. NOTICE OF COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.
``(a) In General.--
``(1) Requirement.--Except as provided in subsection (b), a
retailer of a covered commodity shall inform consumers, at the
final point of sale of the covered commodity to consumers, of
the country of origin of the covered commodity.
``(2) United states country of origin.--A retailer of a
covered commodity may designate the covered commodity as having
a United States country of origin only if the covered
commodity--
``(A) in the case of a covered commodity (other
than a perishable agricultural commodity), is
exclusively from an animal that is exclusively born,
raised, and slaughtered in the United States; and
``(B) in the case of a perishable agricultural
commodity, is exclusively produced in the United
States.
``(b) Exemption for Food Service Establishments.--Subsection (a)
shall not apply to a covered commodity if the covered commodity is--
``(1) prepared or served in a food service establishment;
and
``(2)(A) offered for sale or sold at the food service
establishment in normal retail quantities; or
``(B) served to consumers at the food service
establishment.
``(c) Method of Notification.--
``(1) In general.--The information required by subsection
(a) may be provided to consumers by means of a label, stamp,
mark, placard, or other clear and visible sign on the covered
commodity or on the package, display, holding unit, or bin
containing the commodity at the final point of sale to
consumers.
``(2) Labeled commodities.--If the covered commodity is
already individually labeled for retail sale regarding country
of origin, the retailer shall not be required to provide any
additional information to comply with this section.
``(d) Audit Verification System.--The Secretary may require that
any person that prepares, stores, handles, or distributes a covered
commodity for retail sale maintain a verifiable recordkeeping audit
trail that will permit the Secretary to ensure compliance with the
regulations promulgated under section 274.
``(e) Information.--Any person engaged in the business of supplying
a covered commodity to a retailer shall provide information to the
retailer indicating the country of origin of the covered commodity.
``SEC. 273. ENFORCEMENT.
``Section 253 shall apply to a violation of this subtitle.
``SEC. 274. REGULATIONS.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary may promulgate such regulations as
are necessary to carry out this subtitle.
``(b) Partnerships With States.--In promulgating the regulations,
the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, enter into
partnerships with States with enforcement infrastructure to carry out
this subtitle.
``SEC. 275. APPLICATION.
``This subtitle shall apply to the retail sale of a covered
commodity beginning on the date that is 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this subtitle.''.
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