[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8596 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8596
To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products
Inspection Act to ensure that consumers can make informed decisions in
choosing between meat and poultry products and cell-cultivated protein
products, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 30, 2026
Mr. Alford (for himself, Mr. Flood, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Mr. Pfluger,
Mr. Simpson, Mr. Smith of Missouri, Mr. Jackson of Texas, and Mr. Wied)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce,
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of
the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products
Inspection Act to ensure that consumers can make informed decisions in
choosing between meat and poultry products and cell-cultivated protein
products, and for other purposes.
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 ``Fair and Accurate Ingredient
Representation on Labels Act of 2026'' or the ``FAIR Labels Act of
2026''.
SEC. 2. REVISED MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN SECRETARY OF
AGRICULTURE AND SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
REGARDING REGULATION OF CELL-CULTIVATED PROTEIN PRODUCT.
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human
Services shall jointly revise the Memorandum of Understanding entitled
``Formal Agreement Between FDA and USDA Regarding Oversight of Human
Food Produced Using Animal Cell Technology Derived from Cell Lines of
USDA-amenable Species'' entered into March 7, 2019, so that with
respect to the regulation of cell-cultivated protein products--
(1) the Secretary of Agriculture shall conduct such
activities as are necessary to implement the amendments made by
this Act; and
(2) the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall--
(A) conduct premarket consultation processes to
evaluate production materials and processes and
manufacturing controls, including oversight of tissue
collection, cell lines and banks, and all components
and inputs;
(B) oversee the initial cell collection and the
development and maintenance of qualified cell banks;
(C) oversee the proliferation and differentiation
of cells up to the time of harvest;
(D) ensure that the appropriate entities comply
with applicable requirements of the Food and Drug
Administration, including facility registration, the
current good manufacturing practices and preventive
controls regulation, and requirements applicable to
substances that become a component of food or otherwise
affect the characteristics of food;
(E) develop additional requirements for cell bank
and cell culturing facility conditions and processes to
ensure that biological material exiting the culture
process is safe; and
(F) conduct appropriate inspections and follow-up
activities, including taking enforcement action if
necessary, to ensure that cell bank and cell culturing
facilities are in compliance with applicable laws
(including regulations).
SEC. 3. REGULATION OF CELL-CULTIVATED PROTEIN PRODUCTS BY SECRETARY OF
AGRICULTURE.
(a) Cell-cultivated Protein Products.--
(1) Definition.--Section 1 of the Federal Meat Inspection
Act (21 U.S.C. 601) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(x) The term `cell-cultivated protein product' means any product
capable of use as human food that--
``(1) is made wholly or in part from any cell culture or
the DNA of an amenable species using animal cell culture
technology; and
``(2) is grown or cultivated outside of the live animal
from which the cell culture or DNA was acquired.''.
(2) Misbranding.--Section 1(n)(3) of the Federal Meat
Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601(n)(3)) is amended to read as
follows:
``(3) if it is a cell-cultivated protein, unless its
label--
``(A) clearly indicates in a prominent,
conspicuous, and legible manner the words `cell-
cultivated', in type of uniform size and prominence,
immediately adjacent to the name of the food so as to
render it likely to be read and understood by the
ordinary individual under customary conditions of
purchase and use;
``(B) bears a statement that the cell-cultivated
protein product is derived from sources other than
meat, in type of uniform size and prominence,
immediately adjacent to the name of the food; and
``(C) bears a disclaimer that clearly indicates
that the cell-cultivated protein product in its final
product form is not derived from, or does not contain,
naturally produced meat from a live amenable
species;''.
(3) Applicability.--Section 25 of the Federal Meat
Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 625) is amended--
(A) by striking ``Notwithstanding'' and inserting
``(a) Notwithstanding''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(b) The requirements of this Act shall apply with respect to
cell-cultivated protein products in the same manner as such
requirements apply to meat and meat food products.''.
(b) Cell-cultivated Poultry Products.--
(1) Definition.--Section 4 of the Poultry Products
Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 453) is amended by adding at the
following:
``(cc) The term `cell-cultivated protein product' means any product
capable of use as human food that--
``(1) is made wholly or in part from any cell culture or
the DNA of a live bird using animal cell culture technology;
and
``(2) is grown or cultivated outside of the live bird from
which the cell culture or DNA was acquired.''.
(2) Misbranding.--Section 4(h)(3) of the Poultry Products
Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 453(h)(3)) is amended to read as
follows:
``(3) if it is a cell-cultivated protein product, unless
its label--
``(A) clearly indicates in a prominent,
conspicuous, and legible manner the words `cell-
cultivated', in type of uniform size and prominence,
immediately adjacent to the name of the food so as to
render it likely to be read and understood by the
ordinary individual under customary conditions of
purchase and use;
``(B) bears a statement that the cell-cultivated
protein product is derived from sources other than
poultry, in type of uniform size and prominence,
immediately adjacent to the name of the food; and
``(C) bears a disclaimer that clearly indicates
that the cell-cultivated protein product in its final
product form is not derived from, or does not contain,
a live amenable bird;''.
(3) Applicability.--Section 18 of the Poultry Products
Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 467a) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``(d) The requirements of this Act shall apply with respect to
cell-cultivated protein products in the same manner as such
requirements apply to poultry and poultry products.''.
(c) Plant-Based Alternative Protein Product.--The Federal Food,
Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 201 (21 U.S.C. 321), by adding at the end
the following:
``(tt) The term `plant-based alternative protein product' means any
food product that--
``(1) is made wholly or in part from any plant species;
``(2) approximates the aesthetic qualities (primarily
texture, flavor, and appearance) of meat, poultry, or a food
product thereof; and
``(3) is manufactured to appear as meat, poultry, or a food
product thereof.''; and
(2) in section 403 (21 U.S.C. 343), by adding at the end
the following:
``(z) If it is a plant-based alternative protein product, unless
its label--
``(1) bears, in type of uniform size and prominence, the
phrase `plant-based alternative protein product' and,
immediately thereafter, the name of the food; and
``(2) in a prominently placed, conspicuous, and legible
manner so as to render it likely to be read and understood by
the ordinary individual under customary conditions of purchase
and use, bears a statement that clearly indicates that the
product is not derived from, or does not contain, naturally
produced meat or poultry from a live animal or bird species.''.
(d) Standards of Identity.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, in
consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall
develop common standards of identity for cell-cultivated protein
products and plant-based alternative protein products that are
consistent with the definitions specified in section 1 of the Federal
Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601), section 4 of the Poultry Products
Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 453), and section 201 of the Federal Food,
Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301), respectively, as amended by
this section.
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