American Beef Labeling Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-2716
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
Introduced: 2021-09-13
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural marketing and promotion

Agricultural trade

Food supply, safety, and labeling

Free trade and trade barriers

Meat
Latest action: action_date: 2021-09-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text: CR S6458)

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-09-13
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>American Beef Labeling Act of 2021</strong></p> <p>This bill reinstates mandatory country-of-origin labeling requirements for beef.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill requires the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to develop a means of reinstating the requirements that complies with the rules of the World Trade Organization. The USTR and the Department of Agriculture must implement the means within one year.</p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2716 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 13, 2021 Mr. Thune (for himself, Mr. Tester , Mr. Rounds , and Mr. Booker ) 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 establish country of origin labeling requirements for beef, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the American Beef Labeling Act of 2021 . 2. Country of origin labeling for beef (a) Definitions Section 281 of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 ( 7 U.S.C. 1638 ) is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (7) as paragraphs (2) through (8), respectively; (2) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so redesignated) the following: (1) Beef The term beef means meat produced from cattle (including veal). ; and (3) in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) (as so redesignated)— (A) in clause (i), by inserting , beef, after lamb ; and (B) in clause (ii), by inserting , ground beef, after lamb . (b) Notice of country of origin Section 282(a)(2) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 ( 7 U.S.C. 1638a(a)(2) ) is amended— (1) in the paragraph heading, by inserting beef, after for ; (2) in each of subparagraphs (A) through (D), by inserting beef, before lamb each place it appears; and (3) in subparagraph (E)— (A) in the subparagraph heading, by inserting beef, after Ground ; and (B) by inserting ground beef, before ground lamb each place it appears. (c) Means of reinstating MCOOL for beef (1) Determination of means Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the United States Trade Representative, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall determine a means of reinstating mandatory country of origin labeling for beef in accordance with the amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) that is in compliance with all applicable rules of the World Trade Organization. (2) Implementation of means Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the United States Trade Representative and the Secretary of Agriculture shall implement the means determined under paragraph (1). (d) Effective date The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) take effect on the earlier of— (1) the date on which the Secretary of Agriculture publishes a determination in the Federal Register that the means determined under paragraph (1) of subsection (c) have been implemented under paragraph (2) of that subsection; and (2) the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.