[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1232 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1232

   To require country of origin labeling of perishable agricultural 
commodities imported into the United States and to establish penalties 
             for violations of such labeling requirements.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 8, 1997

 Mr. Bono (for himself, Mr. Traficant, Mrs. Thurman, Mr. Calvert, Mr. 
   Weldon of Florida, Mr. Ney, Mr. Riggs, Mr. Mica, Mr. Stearns, Mr. 
 Hunter, Mrs. Meek of Florida, Mr. Watts of Oklahoma, Mr. Wexler, Mr. 
 king, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Diaz-Balart, Mr. Goss, Mr. Condit, 
Mr. Miller of Florida, Mr. Barr of Georgia, Mr. Bishop, and Ms. Kaptur) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                              Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To require country of origin labeling of perishable agricultural 
commodities imported into the United States and to establish penalties 
             for violations of such labeling requirements.

    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 ``Imported Produce Labeling Act of 
1997''.

SEC. 2. INDICATION OF COUNTRY OF ORIGIN OF IMPORTED PERISHABLE 
              AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES.

    (a) Definitions.--For purposes of this section, the terms 
``perishable agricultural commodity'' and ``retailer'' have the 
meanings given such terms in section 1(b) of the Perishable 
Agricultural Commodities Act, 1930 (7 U.S.C. 499a(b)).
    (b) Notice of Country of Origin Required.--A retailer of a 
perishable agricultural commodity imported into the United States shall 
inform consumers, at the final point of sale to consumers, of the 
country of origin of the perishable agricultural commodity.
    (c) Method of Notification.--The information required by subsection 
(b) may be provided to consumers by means of a label, stamp, mark, 
placard, or other clear and visible sign on the imported perishable 
agricultural commodity itself or on the package, display, holding unit, 
or bin containing the commodity at the final point of sale to 
consumers. If the imported perishable agricultural commodity is already 
individually labeled regarding country of origin by the packer, 
importer, or another person, the retailer shall not be required to 
provide any additional information in order to comply with this 
section.
    (d) Violations.--If a retailer fails to indicate the country of 
origin of an imported perishable agricultural commodity as required by 
subsection (b), the Secretary of Agriculture may impose a monetary 
penalty on the retailer in an amount not to exceed--
            (1) $1,000 for the first day on which the violation occurs; 
        and
            (2) $250 for each day on which the same violation 
        continues.
    (e) Deposit of Funds.--Amounts collected under subsection (d) shall 
be deposited in the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous 
receipts.
    (f) Application of Section.--This section shall apply with respect 
to perishable agricultural commodities imported into the United States 
after the end of the six-month period beginning on the date of the 
enactment of this section.
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