Meat Labeling Act of 1999 (Introduced in the Senate)
S 242 IS
106th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 242
To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to require the labeling of
imported meat and meat food products.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 19, 1999
Mr. JOHNSON (for himself 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 the labeling of
imported meat and meat food products.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Meat Labeling Act of 1999'.
SEC. 2. LABELING OF IMPORTED MEAT AND MEAT FOOD PRODUCTS.
(a) DEFINITIONS- Section 1 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C.
601) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(w) BEEF- The term `beef' means meat produced from cattle (including
veal).
`(x) IMPORTED BEEF- The term `imported beef' means beef that is not
United States beef, whether or not the beef is graded with a quality grade
issued by the Secretary.
`(y) IMPORTED LAMB- The term `imported lamb' means lamb that is not
United States lamb, whether or not the lamb is graded with a quality grade
issued by the Secretary.
`(z) IMPORTED PORK- The term `imported pork' means pork that is not
United States pork.
`(aa) LAMB- The term `lamb' means meat, other than mutton, produced
from sheep.
`(bb) PORK- The term `pork' means meat produced from hogs.
`(cc) UNITED STATES BEEF-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The term `United States beef' means beef produced
from cattle slaughtered in the United States.
`(2) EXCLUSION- The term `United States beef' does not include beef
produced from cattle imported into the United States in sealed trucks for
slaughter.
`(dd) UNITED STATES LAMB-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The term `United States lamb' means lamb produced
from sheep slaughtered in the United States.
`(2) EXCLUSION- The term `United States lamb' does not include lamb
produced from sheep imported into the United States in sealed trucks for
slaughter.
`(ee) UNITED STATES PORK-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The term `United States pork' means pork produced
from hogs slaughtered in the United States.
`(2) EXCLUSION- The term `United States pork' does not include pork
produced from hogs imported into the United States in sealed trucks for
slaughter.'.
(b) MISBRANDING- Section 1(n) of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21
U.S.C. 601(n)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (11), by striking `or' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (12), by striking the period at the end and inserting
`; or'; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
`(13)(A) if it is imported beef, imported lamb, or imported pork offered
for retail sale as muscle cuts of beef, lamb, or pork and does not bear
a label that identifies its country of origin;
`(B) if it is United States beef, United States lamb, or United States
pork offered for retail sale as muscle cuts of beef, lamb, or pork, and
does not bear a label that identifies its country of origin; or
`(C) if it is United States or imported ground beef, ground lamb, or
ground pork and is not accompanied by labeling that identifies it as United
States beef, United States lamb, United States pork, imported beef, imported
lamb, imported pork, or other designation that identifies the content of
United States beef, imported beef, United States lamb, imported lamb, United
States pork, and imported pork contained in the product, as determined
by the Secretary.'.
(c) LABELING- Section 7 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C.
607) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(g) MANDATORY LABELING- The Secretary shall provide by regulation
that the following offered for retail sale bear a label that identifies
its country of origin:
`(1) Muscle cuts of United States beef, United States lamb, United
States pork, imported beef, imported lamb, and imported pork.
`(2) Ground beef, ground lamb, and ground pork.
`(h) AUDIT VERIFICATION SYSTEM FOR UNITED STATES AND IMPORTED MUSCLE
CUTS OF BEEF, LAMB, AND PORK AND GROUND BEEF, LAMB, AND PORK- The Secretary
may require by regulation that any person that prepares, stores, handles,
or distributes muscle cuts of United States beef, imported beef, United
States lamb, imported lamb, United States pork, imported pork, ground beef,
ground lamb, or ground pork for retail sale maintain a verifiable recordkeeping
audit trail that will permit the Secretary to ensure compliance with the
regulations promulgated under subsection (g).'.
(d) REGULATIONS- Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall promulgate final regulations
to carry out the amendments made by this section.
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendments made by this section take effect
60 days after the date on which final regulations are promulgated under
subsection (d).