I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 848 
To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to 
establish a voluntary food climate labeling program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 31, 2025 
Mr. CASTEN (for himself and Ms. BROWNLEY) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency to establish a voluntary food climate labeling 
program, 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 ‘‘Voluntary Food Cli-
mate Labeling Act’’. 
SEC. 2. VOLUNTARY FOOD CLIMATE LABELING PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator of 
the Environmental Protection Agency shall carry out 
a voluntary food climate labeling program. 
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(2) CONSULTATION.—The Administrator shall 
establish and operate the labeling program in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
Federal Trade Commission. 
(b) ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM.— 
(1) PROHIBITION.—A person manufacturing, 
importing, distributing, or selling food may not place 
the food climate label developed under subsection (c) 
on the food or its labeling unless the Administrator 
has authorized such person to do so under para-
graph (3). 
(2) APPLICATIONS.—An applicant shall submit 
to the Administrator an application at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as 
the Administrator may require. 
(3) REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS.—The Adminis-
trator shall review all applications submitted under 
paragraph (2) and approve any such application— 
(A) on the basis of whether the applicant 
provides assurances satisfactory to the Adminis-
trator that the applicant will adhere to the re-
quirements of the labeling program; and 
(B) not on the basis of an assessment of 
the benefits to the environment associated with 
the food. 
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(4) PLACEMENT OF LABEL.—If the Adminis-
trator approves an application under this subsection 
with respect to a food, the Administrator may speci-
fy where on the food or its labeling the food climate 
label shall be placed. 
(c) DEVELOPMENT OF FOOD CLIMATE LABEL.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator shall 
specify— 
(A) the visual form of the food climate 
label, as described in paragraph (3); 
(B) the information to be included on the 
food climate label, as described in paragraph 
(4); and 
(C) the method by which the information 
to be included on the food climate label shall be 
verified, as described in paragraph (5). 
(2) CONSULTATION.—In specifying the visual 
form, information to be included, and method for 
verification referred to in paragraph (1), the Admin-
istrator— 
(A) shall consult with food industry stake-
holders; and 
(B) may perform such consultation— 
(i) by establishing a Federal advisory 
committee under chapter 10 of title 5, 
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United States Code (commonly referred to 
as the ‘‘Federal Advisory Committee 
Act’’); or 
(ii) through a negotiated rulemaking 
under the Negotiated Rulemaking Act of 
1990 (Public Law 101–648). 
(3) VISUAL FORM.—The visual form of the food 
climate label shall— 
(A) convey the information described in 
paragraph (4) to the consumer in a manner 
that is determined by the Administrator to be 
most useful to the consumer at the point of sale 
in making food purchasing decisions; 
(B) not convey that any given food is ac-
ceptable or unacceptable, but instead provide to 
the consumer a numerical quantification of the 
information described in paragraph (4); 
(C) employ words, numbers, and imagery, 
as specified by the Administrator; 
(D) convey that the information on the 
food climate label has been verified under re-
quirements established by the Environmental 
Protection Agency; 
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(E) include a logo (or other identifier) to 
help the consumer identify the food climate 
label; and 
(F) include a quick response code (com-
monly known as a ‘‘QR code’’) or similar mech-
anism that provides electronic access to the con-
sumer at the point of sale to the information 
described in paragraph (4)(B). 
(4) INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED.— 
(A) LABEL.—The food climate label shall 
include two numerical summaries of the best 
available information regarding the total green-
house gas emissions released throughout the 
lifecycle of the food and its input materials as 
follows: 
(i) The first numerical summary shall 
include the information on the greenhouse 
gas emissions released during— 
(I) the growing of ingredients; 
(II) the manufacture of the 
nonfood input materials; 
(III) processing; 
(IV) packaging; and 
(V) distribution. 
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(ii) The second numerical summary 
shall include the information on the green-
house gas emissions released during— 
(I) storage; 
(II) presentation in a retail food 
establishment; 
(III) consumer use, including the 
energy used to store the food after 
purchase; 
(IV) end-of-life reuse, recycling, 
composting, treatment, and disposal 
of the food and its packaging; and 
(V) any other aspect of the 
lifecycle of the food and its input ma-
terials. 
(B) VALIDATION OF SUMMARIES.— 
(i) VALIDITY
OF
FIRST
NUMERICAL 
SUMMARY.—The participant shall be re-
sponsible for the validity of the numerical 
summary required by subparagraph (A)(i). 
(ii) VALIDITY OF SECOND NUMERICAL 
SUMMARY.—The Administrator shall— 
(I) be responsible for the validity 
of the numerical summary required by 
subparagraph (A)(ii); and 
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(II) develop such numerical sum-
mary in consultation with the partici-
pant referred to in clause (i) and the 
advisory committee established under 
paragraph (2)(B). 
(C) QR CODE.—The QR code (or similar 
mechanism) referred to in paragraph (3)(F) 
shall provide access to the following informa-
tion: 
(i) If the food is subject to a vol-
untary commitment under subsection (d), 
an indication that such food is subject to 
such commitment and a summary of the 
information reported pursuant to such 
commitment under such subsection. 
(ii) The database established under 
subsection (e). 
(5) METHOD OF VERIFICATION.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator 
shall specify the method by which the informa-
tion included on the food climate label shall be 
verified. Such method shall include— 
(i) adhering to uniform standards for 
the collection and analysis of such informa-
tion; 
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(ii) adhering to requirements for enti-
ties (certified by the Administrator for 
such purpose) to measure, monitor, verify, 
and report such information; and 
(iii) using the best available scientific 
information. 
(B) INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS.—In de-
veloping the method under subparagraph (A), 
the Administrator shall consider the established 
international standards for carbon accounting 
for product lifecycle assessment, including— 
(i) the ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 
standards of the International Organiza-
tion for Standardization; and 
(ii) protocols established under the 
Greenhouse 
Gas 
Protocol 
(commonly 
known as the ‘‘GHG Protocol’’) program 
of the World Business Council for Sustain-
able Development and the World Resources 
Institute, including— 
(I) the GHG Product Life Cycle 
Accounting and Reporting Standard; 
and 
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(II) Publicly Available Specifica-
tion 2050 (commonly known as ‘‘PAS 
2050’’). 
(C) ALIGNMENT
WITH
CURRENT
BEST 
PRACTICES OF FOOD INDUSTRY.—The Adminis-
trator shall ensure that the method under sub-
paragraph (A) is informed by, and generally 
aligned with, the current best practices of the 
food industry for validating the information in-
cluded on the food climate label. 
(d) VOLUNTARY COMMITMENTS.—Not later than 2 
years after the date of enactment of this section, the Ad-
ministrator shall establish a program under which a man-
ufacturer, importer, distributor, or seller of a food bearing 
the food climate label may, on a voluntary basis— 
(1) make and report a voluntary commitment to 
reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with 
such food; and 
(2) report sustainability information pertaining 
to the food based on the best available scientific in-
formation. 
(e) DATABASE.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall estab-
lish and make publicly accessible a database under an 
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open license to provide consumers with easy access to in-
formation pertaining to the labeling program, including— 
(1) explanations of the objectives and the meth-
odologies of the Administrator in developing the food 
climate label and in specifying the visual form, infor-
mation to be included, and method for verification 
referred to in subsection (c)(1); 
(2) the information described in clauses (i) and 
(ii) of subsection (c)(4)(B) with respect to each food 
in the labeling program; 
(3) the voluntary commitments and sustain-
ability information reported under subsection (d); 
and 
(4) as the Administrator determines appro-
priate, any sustainability information pertaining to 
food bearing the food climate label, based on the 
best available scientific information. 
(f) REPORTS.—Not later than 7 years after the date 
of enactment of this section, and every 5 years thereafter, 
the Administrator shall— 
(1) publish a report on the labeling program’s 
effectiveness in— 
(A) providing consumers information that 
consumers find useful; and 
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(B) reducing the greenhouse gas emissions 
associated with food throughout the lifecycle of 
the food and its input materials, as described in 
subsection (c)(4)(A); and 
(2) submit to Congress a report containing any 
recommendations for legislative action that would 
improve the labeling program’s effectiveness in 
achieving the objectives described in subparagraphs 
(A) and (B) of paragraph (1). 
(g) REGULATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Adminis-
trator shall finalize regulations to carry out the la-
beling program. 
(2) UPDATES.—Not later than 7 years after the 
date of enactment of this section, and every 5 years 
thereafter, the Administrator shall update the regu-
lations for carrying out the labeling program to in-
crease the labeling program’s effectiveness, as deter-
mined by the Administrator with regard to the ob-
jectives described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of 
subsection (f)(1). 
(h) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator shall 
establish a technical assistance advisory board with-
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in the Environmental Protection Agency to provide 
technical assistance to— 
(A) entities participating in or seeking to 
participate in the labeling program; 
(B) entities certified or seeking to become 
certified under subsection (c)(5)(A)(ii); 
(C) entities making a voluntary commit-
ment or seeking to make such commitment 
under subsection (d); and 
(D) retail food establishments. 
(2) COMPOSITION.—The technical assistance 
advisory board under paragraph (1) shall be com-
prised of subject matter experts and academics, 
trade associations, consultants, leaders of the De-
partment of Agriculture, and representatives of in-
dustry and appropriate organizations. 
(i) CONSUMER OUTREACH.—Not later than 3 years 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Adminis-
trator shall establish a program to inform consumers 
about the labeling program by— 
(1) providing retail food establishments edu-
cational materials and other information to be con-
veyed to consumers regarding the labeling program, 
which materials and information shall display the 
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logo (or other identifier) described in subsection 
(c)(3)(E); and 
(2) reaching the public through a wide range of 
venues, including public service announcements and 
advertising. 
(j) PENALTIES FOR FRAUDULENT USE OF LABEL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Any person that violates a 
requirement of this section shall be subject to a civil 
penalty of not more than $10,000 for each such vio-
lation. 
(2) SEPARATE
VIOLATIONS.—Each separate 
violation of a requirement of this section with re-
spect to a given type of food shall be a separate of-
fense, except that in a case of a violation through 
continuing failure to obey or neglect to obey an 
order by the Administrator under this section, each 
day of continuance of such failure or neglect shall be 
deemed a separate offense. 
(3) EQUITABLE
RELIEF.—In a civil action 
brought under this section, the United States dis-
trict courts are empowered to grant mandatory in-
junctions and such other equitable relief as such 
courts deem appropriate. 
(k) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency. 
(2) APPLICANT.—The term ‘‘applicant’’ means 
a person that— 
(A) manufactures, imports, distributes, or 
sells food; and 
(B) has an application pending under sub-
section (b) to participate in the labeling pro-
gram. 
(3) FOOD
INDUSTRY
STAKEHOLDERS.—The 
term ‘‘food industry stakeholders’’ means— 
(A) entities that— 
(i) grow, raise, process, prepare, man-
ufacture, or otherwise add value to a food 
product; 
(ii) store, package, repackage, trans-
port, or distribute a food product for 
wholesale; 
(iii) sell a food product directly to 
consumers; 
(iv) provide a food-related service to 
entities that engage in any of the activities 
described in clauses (i) through (iii); 
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(v) measure, monitor, verify, and re-
port the type of information to be included 
on the food climate label under subsection 
(c)(4); 
(vi) represent consumers of food prod-
ucts; or 
(vii) study and analyze the food indus-
try; and 
(B) other relevant stakeholders, as deter-
mined by the Administrator. 
(4) GREENHOUSE GAS.—The term ‘‘greenhouse 
gas’’ includes— 
(A) carbon dioxide; 
(B) methane; 
(C) nitrous oxide; 
(D) sulfur hexafluoride; 
(E) any hydrofluorocarbon; 
(F) any perfluorocarbon; 
(G) nitrogen trifluoride; 
(H) any fully fluorinated linear, branched, 
or cyclic— 
(i) alkane; 
(ii) ether; 
(iii) tertiary amine; or 
(iv) aminoether; 
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(I) any perfluoropolyether; 
(J) any hydrofluoropolyether; and 
(K) any other fluorocarbon, except for a 
fluorocarbon with a vapor pressure of less than 
1 millimeter of mercury absolute at 25 degrees 
Celsius. 
(5) GREENHOUSE
GAS
EMISSION.—The term 
‘‘greenhouse gas emission’’ means the release of a 
greenhouse gas into the ambient air. 
(6) LABELING PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘labeling 
program’’ means the voluntary food climate labeling 
program established under this section. 
(7) OPEN LICENSE.—The term ‘‘open license’’ 
means any legally binding instrument that grants 
permission to access, reuse, and redistribute a work 
with few or no restrictions. 
(8) PARTICIPANT.—The term ‘‘participant’’ 
means, with respect to food, the person authorized 
pursuant to subsection (b) to place the food climate 
label developed under subsection (c) on the food or 
its labeling. 
Æ 
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