[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 860 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 860

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 22, 1999

    Mr. Graham (for himself, Mr. Mack, Mr. Hollings, and Mr. Levin) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
           Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To require country of origin labeling of perishable agricultural 
commodities imported into the United States and to establish penalties 
              for violations of the 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 
1999''.

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

    (a) Definitions.--In this section, the terms ``perishable 
agricultural commodity'' and ``retailer'' have the meanings given the 
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 of the perishable 
agricultural commodity to consumers, of the country of origin of the 
perishable agricultural commodity.
    (c) Method of Notification.--
            (1) In general.--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 or on the package, display, 
        holding unit, or bin containing the commodity at the final 
        point of sale to consumers.
            (2) Labeled commodities.--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 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 a perishable agricultural commodity imported into the United States 
after the end of the 6-month period beginning on the date of the 
enactment of this section.
                                 <all>