Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2014

Bill: 113-hr-4432
Sponsor: Rep. Pompeo, Mike [R-KS-4]
Introduced: 2014-04-09 in the House
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Agricultural practices and innovations
Business records
Department of Health and Human Services
Federal preemption
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Fruit and vegetables
Genetics
Marketing and advertising

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-09
text: 
Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2014 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to establish premarket notification requirements for a bioengineered organism intended for a food use or application. Defines &ldquo;bioengineered organism&rdquo; to mean a plant or any part of a plant which contains genetic material that has been modified through in vitro recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) techniques when such modification could not otherwise be obtained using conventional breeding techniques. 
 
Sets forth exceptions if: (1) the bioengineered organism is used for development or testing conducted to generate data and information that could be used in a premarket biotechnology notification or other regulatory submission; (2) a processing aid or enzyme produced from the bioengineered organism is intended to be used to produce food; or (3) food produced from, containing, or consisting of the bioengineered organism is intended to be fed to an animal from which food is intended to be produced or derived.
 
Directs the developer of a bioengineered organism to submit a premarket biotechnology notification to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) at least 210 days before the organism is first introduced into interstate commerce for a food use or application. Requires such notification to include: (1) the basis for the determination that food produced from, containing, or consisting of that bioengineered organism is as safe for use by humans or animals as comparable marketed foods without the bioengineered organism, and (2) whether any other federal agency is conducting or has conducted any review of the bioengineered organism and the status or conclusions of any such review. Requires the Secretary to determine whether such food is as safe as food made without the bioengineered organism. Requires public disclosure of the premarket notification.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to require the label of such food to disclose a material difference between food produced from, containing, or consisting of a bioengineered organism and its comparable marketed food, as necessary to protect health and safety or to prevent the label or labeling of such food from being false or misleading.
 
Makes these requirements applicable 30 days after enactment of this Act, regardless of whether relevant regulations or guidance have been finalized or issued.
 
Preempts any state or local requirement respecting a bioengineered organism intended for a food use or application, or food produced from, containing, or consisting of a bioengineered organism.
 
Sets forth standards for any food label that contains claims that bioengineering was or was not used in the production of the food. Preempts any state and local labeling requirements with respect to bioengineered food.
 
Requires the Secretary to issue regulations setting standards for a natural claim on food labels. Preempts any state or local regulations that are not identical to the requirements of this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-04-11
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2014-04-09
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2014-04-09
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-04-09
text: Introduced in House