II

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 251

To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to require that imported beef

or lamb bear a label identifying the country of origin.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JANUARY 19, 1999

Mr. BURNS (for himself, Mr. CRAIG, Mr. THOMAS, and Mr. ENZI) introduced

the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee

on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

A BILL

To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to require that

imported beef or lamb bear a label identifying the country of origin.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. LABELING OF IMPORTED MEAT AND MEAT

4 FOOD PRODUCTS.

5 (a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1 of the Federal Meat In6 spection Act (21 U.S.C. 601) is amended by adding at

7 the end the following:

8 ‘‘(w) BEEF.—The term ‘beef’’ means meat pro9 duced from cattle (including veal).
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1 ‘‘(x) LAMB.—The term ‘lamb’ means meat,

2 other than mutton, produced from sheep.

3 ‘‘(y) IMPORTED BEEF.—The term ‘imported

4 beef’ means any beef, including any fresh muscle

5 cuts, ground meat, trimmings, and beef in another

6 meat food product, that is not United States beef,

7 whether or not the beef is graded with a quality

8 grade issued by the Secretary.

9 ‘‘(z) IMPORTED LAMB.—The term ‘imported

10 lamb’ means any lamb, including any fresh muscle

11 cuts, ground meat, trimmings, and lamb in another

12 meat food product, that is not United States lamb,

13 whether or not the lamb is graded with a quality

14 grade issued by the Secretary.

15 ‘‘(aa) UNITED STATES BEEF.—

16 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘United

17 States beef’ means beef produced from cattle

18 slaughtered in the United States.

19 ‘‘(2) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘United

20 States beef’ does not include—

21 ‘‘(A) beef produced from cattle im22 ported into the United States in sealed

23 trucks for slaughter;

24 ‘‘(B) beef produced from imported

25 carcasses;
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1 ‘‘(C) imported beef trimmings; or

2 ‘‘(D) imported boxed beef.

3 ‘‘(bb) UNITED STATES LAMB.—

4 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘United

5 States lamb’ means lamb, except mutton, pro6 duced from sheep slaughtered in the United

7 States.

8 ‘‘(2) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘United

9 States lamb’ does not include—

10 ‘‘(A) lamb produced from sheep im11 ported into the United States in sealed

12 trucks for slaughter;

13 ‘‘(B) lamb produced from an imported

14 carcass;

15 ‘‘(C) imported lamb trimmings; or

16 ‘‘(D) imported boxed lamb.’’.

17 (b) LABELING.—

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1(n) of the Federal

19 Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601(n)) is amended

20 by adding at the end the following:

21 ‘‘(13)(A) If it is imported beef or imported

22 lamb offered for retail sale as fresh muscle cuts of

23 beef or lamb and is not accompanied by labeling that

24 identifies the country of origin.
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1 ‘‘(B) If it is ground beef made from imported

2 beef and is not accompanied by labeling that identi3 fies it as blended with imported beef or other des4 ignation that identifies the percentage content of im5 ported beef contained in the product, as determined

6 by the Secretary.’’.

7 (2) VOLUNTARY LABELING OF DOMESTIC

8 GROUND BEEF.—Section 7 of the Federal Meat In9 spection Act (21 U.S.C. 607) is amended by adding

10 at the end the following:

11 ‘‘(g) VOLUNTARY LABELING OF DOMESTIC GROUND

12 BEEF.—The Secretary may authorize persons, firms, and

13 corporations to affix to a container of ground beef that

14 is made entirely from domestic beef a label that indicates

15 that the ground beef is made entirely from domestic

16 beef.’’.

17 (3) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 20(a)

18 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C.

19 620(a)) is amended by adding at the end the follow20 ing: ‘‘All imported beef or imported lamb offered for

21 retail sale as fresh muscle cuts of beef or lamb shall

22 be plainly and conspicuously marked, labeled, or oth23 erwise identified to indicate its country of origin.’’.

Æ