Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) introduced the Climate-Friendly Food Label Task Force Act to establish an advisory panel at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to study the development of a climate-friendly certification for food products. The task force would be mandated to produce a report to Congress that provides recommendations for the development of a certification and labeling program that recognizes foods that are made and grown in a sustainable manner.
“The food and agriculture sector currently contributes about 10 percent of the United States’ total greenhouse gas emissions, and it is expected to grow to a staggering 30% by 2050. While a majority of U.S. consumers say that sustainability is important to them when purchasing food, research shows that consumers struggle to identify which products are the most sustainable.
“Consistent labeling, such as the USDA Organic seal, represents a successful model for using a voluntary, market-based approach to driving innovation in the food and agricultural sector and creating a robust organic market in the United States. Market-based approaches have also resulted in significant economic benefits, including job creation and higher revenue for producers.
“Similar to USDA Organic, the Climate-Friendly Food Label Task Force Act would establish an advisory panel at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide recommendations for the development of a certification and labeling program for foods that are made and grown in a sustainable manner. This label would not only help consumers more easily identify sustainable foods and food production, but it’s a simple and effective solution to address one of the significant causes of greenhouse gas emissions. Creating this label will be a real win-win-win for the agriculture sector, consumers, and our environment,” said Congresswoman Brownley.
Read the text of the bill, here.
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Issues: 118th Congress, Climate Crisis, Environment