H.R. 10324: Rooting Out Mislabeled Agriculture Act

This bill would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to create and maintain a database of isotopic signatures for processing tomatoes. An isotopic signature is a kind of scientific “fingerprint” that can help show where a product was grown or processed.

What the database would do

• The Secretary of Agriculture, through the Agricultural Research Service, would establish the database directly or by giving grants to others to do it.
• The database would contain scientific samples of processing tomatoes from both domestic and foreign sources, as needed.
• USDA would have to provide the information in the database, in a timely way, to people or organizations that request it, including federal agencies, universities, agricultural research stations, and private companies.

Research and testing

• USDA would also be required to conduct or fund research to improve isotopic testing methods.
• The research would aim to make testing more accurate and expand the kinds of biological materials that can be tested.
• Organizations that receive research grants could keep copies of the data they generate.

Customs coordination

• USDA would have to coordinate with U.S. Customs and Border Protection on how best to use the database to support inspections of imported processing tomatoes.

Report to Congress

• Within two years after enactment, USDA would have to report to Congress on:
  • how the database was established and used,
  • the results of the research on testing methods, and
  • any recommended legal or administrative changes.

Overall effect

In practical terms, the bill would create a federal tool for checking where processing tomatoes came from and could make it easier to verify import claims or identify products that may be mislabeled. It does not directly change labeling rules or impose a specific penalty by itself, but it builds the research and data system that could support future enforcement or policy decisions.

Relevant Companies

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