II
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5475
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 11, 2024
Mr. Braun (for himself and Mr. Kelly) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
A BILL
To amend the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 to provide producers with the option to confirm the absence of prohibited substances through testing, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Meeting Demand for Organic Produce Act
.
Option to confirm the absence of prohibited substances through testing
National standards for organic production
Section 2105 of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6504) is amended—
in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—
by striking shall
; and
by striking To be
and inserting the following:
In general
To be
;
in subsection (a) (as so designated)—
in paragraph (1), by inserting shall
before have been
;
in paragraph (2)—
by striking products; and
and inserting product; or
;
by striking livestock, not
and inserting the following: “livestock—
shall not
; and
by adding at the end the following:
shall be produced in soil or another growing medium that has been confirmed prior to the time of planting to contain no prohibited substances, including synthetic chemicals, through testing or other methods certified by the Secretary to verify the absence of prohibited substances in the growing medium; and
; and
in paragraph (3), by inserting shall
before be produced
; and
by adding at the end the following:
Guidelines and criteria
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of the Meeting Demand for Organic Produce Act, the Secretary shall issue an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking to develop guidelines and criteria for approved verification methods described in subsection (a)(2)(B) to ensure accuracy and reliability with respect to the testing described in that subsection.
.
Management of wild crops
Section 2114(f) of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6513(f)) is amended—
by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (4) as subparagraphs (A) through (D), respectively, and indenting appropriately;
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) (as so redesignated), by striking An organic
and inserting the following:
In general
An organic
;
in paragraph (1)(B) (as so redesignated)—
by adding or
after the semicolon at the end;
by striking include a 3 year
and inserting the following: “include—
a 3-year
; and
by adding at the end the following:
a certification that the soil or other growing medium of the area has been confirmed prior to the time of planting to contain no prohibited substances, including synthetic chemicals, through testing or other methods certified by the Secretary to verify the absence of prohibited substances in the growing medium;
; and
by adding at the end the following:
Guidelines and criteria
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of the Meeting Demand for Organic Produce Act, the Secretary shall issue an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking to develop guidelines and criteria for approved verification methods described in paragraph (1)(B)(ii) to ensure accuracy and reliability with respect to the testing described in that paragraph.
.