S. 1230Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

SAFETY Act of 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 24, 2025 at 1:26 AM UTC

The SAFETY Act of 2025 amends the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to define and protect “common names” for U.S. agricultural products, foods, wines, and beers. By establishing a list of recognized common names and prohibiting foreign markets from restricting them, the bill aims to preserve export opportunities for U.S. producers. It also directs the USDA Secretary to coordinate with the U.S. Trade Representative to secure agreements that safeguard the use of these names internationally, with regular reporting to Congress.

Key Provisions

Creates a clear definition of “common name” for agricultural commodities, foods, wine, and beer, based on ordinary usage, labeling, and international standards such as Codex Alimentarius.
Lists many specific examples of common names for foods (e.g., cheddar, mozzarella), wine grape varieties and descriptors (e.g., chateau, vintage), and beer styles (e.g., IPA, stout).
Prohibits the United States from allowing foreign markets to block or restrict the use of these common names on U.S. agricultural products.
Requires the USDA Secretary to work with the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate bilateral, plurilateral, or multilateral agreements that protect the right to use these common names abroad.
Mandates semi‑annual briefings to key Senate and House agriculture and finance committees on the progress of those negotiations.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text: CR S2095)

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

April 1, 2025

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

April 1, 2025

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text: CR S2095)

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

April 1, 2025

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about S. 1230 on the floor

1 Republican1 Democrat

Sen. John ThuneR-SD · Mar 31, 2025

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Sen. Richard J. DurbinD-IL · Mar 31, 2025

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Sen. John ThuneR-SD · Mar 31, 2025

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued April 1, 2025

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1230

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 1 (legislative day, March 31), 2025

Mr. Thune (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Marshall, and Ms. Smith) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

A BILL

To amend the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to preserve foreign markets for goods using common names, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Safeguarding American Food and Export Trade Yields Act of 2025 or the SAFETY Act of 2025.

Preserving foreign markets for goods using common names

(a)

Definitions

Section 102 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5602) is amended—

(1)

in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking As used in this Act— and inserting In this Act:;

(2)

by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (8) as paragraphs (3), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), and (4), respectively, and reordering accordingly;

(3)

by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:

(2)

Common name

(A)

In general

The term common name means a name that—

(i)

is ordinarily or customarily used for an agricultural commodity or food product;

(ii)

is typically placed on the packaging and product label of the agricultural commodity or food product;

(iii)

with respect to wine—

(I)

is—

(aa)

ordinarily or customarily used for a wine grape varietal name; or

(bb)

a traditional term or expression that is typically placed on the packaging and label of the wine; and

(II)

does not mean any appellation of origin for wine listed in subpart C of part 9 of title 27, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations); and

(iv)

the use of which is consistent with standards of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

(B)

Examples

The following names shall be considered common names under subparagraph (A):

(i)

With respect to food products:

(I)

American.

(II)

Asiago.

(III)

Basmati.

(IV)

Black forest ham.

(V)

Bologna.

(VI)

Bratwurst.

(VII)

Chevre.

(VIII)

Chorizo.

(IX)

Colby.

(X)

Feta.

(XI)

Fontina.

(XII)

Gorgonzola.

(XIII)

Grana.

(XIV)

Gruyere.

(XV)

Kielbasa.

(XVI)

Limburger and Limburgo.

(XVII)

Mascarpone.

(XVIII)

Monterey and Monterey jack.

(XIX)

Mortadella.

(XX)

Munster and muenster.

(XXI)

Neufchatel.

(XXII)

Parmesan.

(XXIII)

Pecorino.

(XXIV)

Pepper Jack.

(XXV)

Prosciutto.

(XXVI)

Ricotta.

(XXVII)

Romano.

(XXVIII)

Salami.

(XXIX)

Swiss.

(ii)

With respect to wine:

(I)

The list of grape varietal terms in section 4.91 of title 27, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation).

(II)

The grape variety designations administratively approved by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

(III)

The following nonvarietal descriptors:

(aa)

Chateau.

(bb)

Classic.

(cc)

Clos.

(dd)

Cream.

(ee)

Crusted and Crusting.

(ff)

Noble.

(gg)

Ruby.

(hh)

Sur lie.

(ii)

Tawny.

(jj)

Vintage.

(kk)

Vintage character.

(iii)

With respect to beer:

(I)

Bitter.

(II)

Pale Ale.

(III)

India Pale Ale.

(IV)

Mild.

(V)

Porter.

(VI)

Stout.

(VII)

Barleywine.

(VIII)

Dubbel.

(IX)

Quadrupel.

(X)

Witbier.

(XI)

Saison.

(XII)

Biere de Garde.

(XIII)

Oud Red.

(XIV)

Altbier.

(XV)

Weisse.

(XVI)

Gose.

(XVII)

Hefeweizen.

(XVIII)

Dunkel.

(XIX)

Helles.

(XX)

Rauchbier.

(XXI)

Pilsener.

(XXII)

Maerzen.

(XXIII)

Schwarzbier.

(XXIV)

Doppelbock.

(XXV)

Bock.

(XXVI)

Kellerbier.

(XXVII)

Munchener and Munich style.

(XXVIII)

Oktoberfest.

(XXIX)

Dortmunder.

(XXX)

Kolsch and Koelsch.

(XXXI)

Budejovick´e pivo (Budweiser beer).

(XXXII)

Cream.

(XXXIII)

Grodziskie.

(XXXIV)

Jerez and sherry.

(XXXV)

Lager.

(C)

Considerations

In making a determination under subparagraph (A), the Secretary may take into account—

(i)

competent sources, such as dictionaries, newspapers, professional journals and literature, and information posted on websites that are determined by the Secretary to be reliable in reporting market information;

(ii)

the use of the common name in a domestic, regional, or international product standard, including a standard promulgated by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, for the agricultural commodity or food product; and

(iii)

the ordinary and customary use of the common name in the production or marketing of the agricultural commodity or food product in the United States or in other countries.

; and

(4)

in paragraph (7) (as so redesignated), in subparagraph (A)—

(A)

in clause (v), by striking or at the end;

(B)

in clause (vi), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following:

(vii)

prohibits or disallows the use of the common name of an agricultural commodity or food product of the United States.

(b)

Negotiations To defend use of common names

Title III of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5652 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

303.

Negotiations to defend the use of common names

(a)

In general

The Secretary shall coordinate efforts with the United States Trade Representative to secure the right of United States agricultural producers, processors, and exporters to use common names for agricultural commodities or food products in foreign markets through the negotiation of bilateral, plurilateral, or multilateral agreements, memoranda of understanding, or exchanges of letters that assure the current and future use of each common name in connection with United States agricultural commodities or food products.

(b)

Briefing

The Secretary and the United States Trade Representative shall jointly provide to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, the Committee on Finance of the Senate, the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives a semi-annual briefing on their efforts and success in carrying out subsection (a).