TITLE 7 - US CODE - SUBCHAPTER IV - COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

7 USC 1638 - Definitions

In this subchapter:
(1) Beef 
The term beef means meat produced from cattle (including veal).
(2) Covered commodity 

(A) In general 
The term covered commodity means
(i) muscle cuts of beef, lamb, and pork;
(ii) ground beef, ground lamb, and ground pork;
(iii) farm-raised fish;
(iv) wild fish;
(v) a perishable agricultural commodity;
(vi) peanuts; and[1]
(vii) meat produced from goats;
(viii) chicken, in whole and in part;
(ix) ginseng;
(x) pecans; and
(xi) macadamia nuts.
(B) Exclusions 
The term covered commodity does not include an item described in subparagraph (A) if the item is an ingredient in a processed food item.
(3) Farm-raised fish 
The term farm-raised fish includes
(A) farm-raised shellfish; and
(B) fillets, steaks, nuggets, and any other flesh from a farm-raised fish or shellfish.
(4) Food service establishment 
The term food service establishment means a restaurant, cafeteria, lunch room, food stand, saloon, tavern, bar, lounge, or other similar facility operated as an enterprise engaged in the business of selling food to the public.
(5) Lamb 
The term lamb means meat, other than mutton, produced from sheep.
(6) Perishable agricultural commodity; retailer 
The terms perishable agricultural commodity and retailer have the meanings given the terms in section 499a (b) of this title.
(7) Pork 
The term pork means meat produced from hogs.
(8) Secretary 
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Agricultural Marketing Service.
(9) Wild fish 

(A) In general 
The term wild fish means naturally-born or hatchery-raised fish and shellfish harvested in the wild.
(B) Inclusions 
The term wild fish includes a fillet, steak, nugget, and any other flesh from wild fish or shellfish.
(C) Exclusions 
The term wild fish excludes net-pen aquacultural or other farm-raised fish.
[1] So in original. The word “and” probably should not appear.

7 USC 1638a - Notice of country of origin

(a) In general 

(1) Requirement 
Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a retailer of a covered commodity shall inform consumers, at the final point of sale of the covered commodity to consumers, of the country of origin of the covered commodity.
(2) Designation of country of origin for beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and goat meat 

(A) United States country of origin 
A retailer of a covered commodity that is beef, lamb, pork, chicken, or goat meat may designate the covered commodity as exclusively having a United States country of origin only if the covered commodity is derived from an animal that was
(i) exclusively born, raised, and slaughtered in the United States;
(ii) born and raised in Alaska or Hawaii and transported for a period of not more than 60 days through Canada to the United States and slaughtered in the United States; or
(iii) present in the United States on or before July 15, 2008, and once present in the United States, remained continuously in the United States.
(B) Multiple countries of origin 

(i) In general A retailer of a covered commodity that is beef, lamb, pork, chicken, or goat meat that is derived from an animal that is
(I) not exclusively born, raised, and slaughtered in the United States,
(II) born, raised, or slaughtered in the United States, and
(III) not imported into the United States for immediate slaughter,

may designate the country of origin of such covered commodity as all of the countries in which the animal may have been born, raised, or slaughtered.

(ii) Relation to general requirement Nothing in this subparagraph alters the mandatory requirement to inform consumers of the country of origin of covered commodities under paragraph (1).
(C) Imported for immediate slaughter 
A retailer of a covered commodity that is beef, lamb, pork, chicken, or goat meat that is derived from an animal that is imported into the United States for immediate slaughter shall designate the origin of such covered commodity as
(i) the country from which the animal was imported; and
(ii) the United States.
(D) Foreign country of origin 
A retailer of a covered commodity that is beef, lamb, pork, chicken, or goat meat that is derived from an animal that is not born, raised, or slaughtered in the United States shall designate a country other than the United States as the country of origin of such commodity.
(E) Ground beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and goat 
The notice of country of origin for ground beef, ground pork, ground lamb, ground chicken, or ground goat shall include
(i) a list of all countries of origin of such ground beef, ground pork, ground lamb, ground chicken, or ground goat; or
(ii) a list of all reasonably possible countries of origin of such ground beef, ground pork, ground lamb, ground chicken, or ground goat.
(3) Designation of country of origin for fish 

(A) In general 
A retailer of a covered commodity that is farm-raised fish or wild fish may designate the covered commodity as having a United States country of origin only if the covered commodity
(i) in the case of farm-raised fish, is hatched, raised, harvested, and processed in the United States; and
(ii) in the case of wild fish, is
(I) harvested in the United States, a territory of the United States, or a State, or by a vessel that is documented under chapter 121 of title 46 or registered in the United States; and
(II) processed in the United States, a territory of the United States, or a State, including the waters thereof, or aboard a vessel that is documented under chapter 121 of title 46 or registered in the United States.
(B) Designation of wild fish and farm-raised fish 
The notice of country of origin for wild fish and farm-raised fish shall distinguish between wild fish and farm-raised fish.
(4) Designation of country of origin for perishable agricultural commodities, ginseng, peanuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts 

(A) In general 
A retailer of a covered commodity that is a perishable agricultural commodity, ginseng, peanut, pecan, or macadamia nut may designate the covered commodity as having a United States country of origin only if the covered commodity is exclusively produced in the United States.
(B) State, region, locality of the United States 
With respect to a covered commodity that is a perishable agricultural commodity, ginseng, peanut, pecan, or macadamia nut produced exclusively in the United States, designation by a retailer of the State, region, or locality of the United States where such commodity was produced shall be sufficient to identify the United States as the country of origin.
(b) Exemption for food service establishments 
Subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to a covered commodity if the covered commodity is
(1) prepared or served in a food service establishment; and
(2) 
(A) offered for sale or sold at the food service establishment in normal retail quantities; or
(B) served to consumers at the food service establishment.
(c) Method of notification 

(1) In general 
The information required by subsection (a) of this section may be provided to consumers by means of a label, stamp, mark, placard, or other clear and visible sign on the covered 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 covered commodity is already individually labeled for retail sale regarding country of origin, the retailer shall not be required to provide any additional information to comply with this section.
(d) Audit verification system 

(1) In general 
The Secretary may conduct an audit of any person that prepares, stores, handles, or distributes a covered commodity for retail sale to verify compliance with this subchapter (including the regulations promulgated under section 1638c (b) of this title).
(2) Record requirements 

(A) In general 
A person subject to an audit under paragraph (1) shall provide the Secretary with verification of the country of origin of covered commodities. Records maintained in the course of the normal conduct of the business of such person, including animal health papers, import or customs documents, or producer affidavits, may serve as such verification.
(B) Prohibition on requirement of additional records 
The Secretary may not require a person that prepares, stores, handles, or distributes a covered commodity to maintain a record of the country of origin of a covered commodity other than those maintained in the course of the normal conduct of the business of such person.
(e) Information 
Any person engaged in the business of supplying a covered commodity to a retailer shall provide information to the retailer indicating the country of origin of the covered commodity.
(f) Certification of origin 

(1) Mandatory identification 
The Secretary shall not use a mandatory identification system to verify the country of origin of a covered commodity.
(2) Existing certification programs 
To certify the country of origin of a covered commodity, the Secretary may use as a model certification programs in existence on May 13, 2002, including
(A) the carcass grading and certification system carried out under this chapter;
(B) the voluntary country of origin beef labeling system carried out under this chapter;
(C) voluntary programs established to certify certain premium beef cuts;
(D) the origin verification system established to carry out the child and adult care food program established under section 1766 of title 42; or
(E) the origin verification system established to carry out the market access program under section 5623 of this title.

7 USC 1638b - Enforcement

(a) Warnings 
If the Secretary determines that a retailer or person engaged in the business of supplying a covered commodity to a retailer is in violation of section 1638a of this title, the Secretary shall
(1) notify the retailer[1] of the determination of the Secretary; and
(2) provide the retailer[1] a 30-day period, beginning on the date on which the retailer[1] receives the notice under paragraph (1) from the Secretary, during which the retailer[1] may take necessary steps to comply with section 1638a of this title.
(b) Fines 
If, on completion of the 30-day period described in subsection (a)(2), the Secretary determines that the retailer or person engaged in the business of supplying a covered commodity to a retailer has
(1) not made a good faith effort to comply with section 1638a of this title, and
(2) continues to willfully violate section 1638a of this title with respect to the violation about which the retailer or person received notification under subsection (a)(1),

after providing notice and an opportunity for a hearing before the Secretary with respect to the violation, the Secretary may fine the retailer or person in an amount of not more than $1,000 for each violation.

[1] So in original. Probably should be “retailer or person”.

7 USC 1638c - Regulations

(a) Guidelines 
Not later than September 30, 2002, the Secretary shall issue guidelines for the voluntary country of origin labeling of covered commodities based on the requirements of section 1638a of this title.
(b) Regulations 
Not later than September 30, 2004, the Secretary shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary to implement this subchapter.
(c) Partnerships with States 
In promulgating the regulations, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, enter into partnerships with States with enforcement infrastructure to assist in the administration of this subchapter.

7 USC 1638d - Applicability

This subchapter shall apply to the retail sale of a covered commodity beginning September 30, 2008, except for farm-raised fish and wild fish which shall be September 30, 2004.