I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5583 
To establish an advisory panel to study the development of a climate-friendly 
certification for agricultural products, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 20, 2023 
Ms. BROWNLEY (for herself and Mr. CLEAVER) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To establish an advisory panel to study the development 
of a climate-friendly certification for agricultural prod-
ucts, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Climate-Friendly Food 
Label Task Force Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) 10 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions 
emitted by the United States come from the agricul-
tural sector. 
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(2) Sustainable agricultural practices that re-
duce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent deforest-
ation will be critical to preventing the Earth from 
reaching 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-indus-
trial levels, the threshold that would result in cata-
strophic climate-related effects. 
(3) Improving the agricultural sector’s impact 
on the climate is a vital component of efforts by the 
U.S. to meet its contributions to the Paris Agree-
ment. 
(4) The USDA Organic label represents a suc-
cessful model for using voluntary, market-based ap-
proaches to driving innovation in the agricultural 
sector and successfully created a robust organic 
market in the United States. 
(5) Market-based approaches like USDA Or-
ganic can spark significant economic benefits includ-
ing jobs, and new, higher revenues for farmers. 
(6) 
In 
2021, 
organic 
farming 
totaled 
$11,200,000,000 in sales, created opportunity for 
17,445 organic farms, and 28 percent of organic 
farmers planned to continue to grow their level of 
organic production. A similar voluntary, market- 
based approach to climate-friendly agricultural prac-
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tices could create comparable economic benefits for 
farmers and workers. 
SEC. 3. STUDY OF CLIMATE-FRIENDLY CERTIFICATION FOR 
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established an advi-
sory panel to carry out the study described in subsection 
(c). 
(b) MEMBERS.—The advisory panel established 
under subsection (a) shall be composed of members ap-
pointed by the Secretary of Agriculture and shall in-
clude— 
(1) representatives— 
(A) that are scientists, including experts 
on climate science and nutrition science; 
(B) of environmental advocacy organiza-
tions; 
(C) of industry, including food manufac-
turing and farming; and 
(D) of other stakeholders, as the Secretary 
of Agriculture determines appropriate; and 
(2) at least one representative from each of the 
following: 
(A) The Department of Agriculture. 
(B) The Environmental Protection Agency. 
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(C) The Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention. 
(D) The Food and Drug Administration. 
(E) The National Academy of Sciences. 
(F) Any other Federal agency the Sec-
retary of Agriculture determines appropriate. 
(c) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the panel shall sub-
mit to the Secretary of Agriculture and Congress a report 
that includes— 
(1) recommendations regarding the development 
of a climate-friendly certification for agricultural 
products that— 
(A) moves agricultural producers toward 
reducing greenhouse gas emissions on a life- 
cycle basis; and 
(B) uses market-based approaches that al-
lows for greater consumer choice and education; 
and 
(2) how such a certification would measure— 
(A) the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions 
of agricultural products; 
(B) the water usage in production of agri-
cultural products; 
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(C) the land use effects of agricultural 
products; and 
(D) any additional criteria the panel deter-
mines appropriate. 
(d) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary of Agriculture 
shall make the report required under subsection (c) pub-
licly available on the website of the Department of Agri-
culture. 
(e) MORATORIUM ON USE OF CLIMATE-FRIENDLY 
CERTIFICATION DURING STUDY.—The Secretary of Agri-
culture may not issue any regulations or guidance or oth-
erwise certify or advertise any agricultural product as cli-
mate-friendly before the date on which the report required 
under subsection (c) is submitted to Congress. 
Æ 
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