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H.R. 5462House118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to require that the slaughter date, package date, freeze date, and country of origin be labeled on meat and poultry products.

Sponsored by George SantosRep. George Santos (R-NY)
Introduced September 14, 2023

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 11:28 AM UTC

The bill amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to require that meat and poultry products display specific labeling information. It mandates that each product show the slaughter date, packaging date, freeze date (if frozen), and the country of origin, and for U.S. products, the state of origin. The labeling must appear directly on the product or its container as prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture. This affects all meat and poultry producers and distributors in the United States.

Key Provisions

  • Adds a new labeling requirement to both acts that meat and poultry must show the slaughter date, package date, freeze date (if frozen), country of origin, and, when the origin is the United States, the state of origin.
  • Gives the Secretary of Agriculture authority to set regulations on how and where the required information must be displayed on the product or its container.
  • Applies to all meat and poultry products covered by the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.

Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Subcommittee

September 26, 2023

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 14, 2023

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Agriculture Committee

September 14, 2023

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.

Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Subcommittee

September 26, 2023

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued September 14, 2023

I

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 5462

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 14, 2023

Mr. Santos introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to require that the slaughter date, package date, freeze date, and country of origin be labeled on meat and poultry products.

1.

Mandatory labeling requirements for meat and poultry

(a)

Federal Meat Inspection Act

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)

if it fails to bear, directly thereon or on its container, as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe—

(A)

the slaughter date;

(B)

the package date;

(C)

if frozen, the freeze date;

(D)

the country of origin; or

(E)

if the country of origin is the United States, the State of origin.

.

(b)

Poultry Product Inspection Act

Section 4(h) of the Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 453(h)) 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)

if it fails to bear, directly thereon or on its container, as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe—

(A)

the slaughter date;

(B)

the package date;

(C)

if frozen, the freeze date;

(D)

the country of origin; or

(E)

if the country of origin is the United States, the State of origin.

.