H.R. 4485

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To establish an advisory panel to study the development of a climate-friendly certification for agricultural products, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · July 17, 2025 · Sponsor: Ms. Brownley · Committee: Committee on Agriculture

Table of contents

• H.R. 4485
  • SEC. 1. Short title
  • SEC. 2. Findings
  • SEC. 3. Study of climate-friendly certification for agricultural products

SEC. 1. Short title

• This Act may be cited as the Climate-Friendly Food Label Task Force Act.

SEC. 2. Findings

• Congress finds the following:
  • 10 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions emitted by the United States come from the agricultural sector.
  • Sustainable agricultural practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent deforestation will be critical to preventing the Earth from reaching 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels, the threshold that would result in catastrophic climate-related effects.
  • Improving the agricultural sector’s impact on the climate is a vital component of efforts by the U.S. to meet its contributions to the Paris Agreement.
  • The USDA Organic label represents a successful model for using a voluntary, market-based approaches to driving innovation in the agricultural sector and successfully created a robust organic market in the United States.
  • Market-based approaches like USDA Organic can spark significant economic benefits including jobs, and new, higher revenues for farmers.
  • In 2021, organic farming totaled $11,200,000,000 in sales, created opportunity for 17,445 organic farms, and 28 percent of organic farmers planned to continue to grow their level or organic production. A similar voluntary, market-based approach to climate-friendly agricultural practices could create comparable economic benefits for farmers and workers.

SEC. 3. Study of climate-friendly certification for agricultural products

• (a) Establishment
  • There is established an advisory panel to carry out the study described in subsection (c).
• (b) Members
  • The advisory panel established under subsection (a) shall be composed of members appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture and shall include—
    • representatives—
      • that are scientists, including experts on climate science and nutrition science;
      • of environmental advocacy organizations;
      • of industry, including food manufacturing and farming; and
      • of other stakeholders, as the Secretary of Agriculture determines appropriate; and
    • at least one representative from each of the following:
      • The Department of Agriculture.
      • The Environmental Protection Agency.
      • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
      • The Food and Drug Administration.
      • The National Academy of Sciences.
      • Any other Federal agency the Secretary of Agriculture determines appropriate.
• (c) Report required
  • Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the panel shall submit to the Secretary of Agriculture and Congress a report that includes—
    • recommendations regarding the development of a climate-friendly certification for agricultural products that—
      • moves agricultural producers toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions on a lifecycle basis; and
      • uses market-based approaches that allows for greater consumer choice and education; and
    • how such a certification would measure—
      • the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of agricultural products;
      • the water usage in production of agricultural products;
      • the land use effects of agricultural products; and
      • any additional criteria the panel determines appropriate.
• (d) Publication
  • The Secretary of Agriculture shall make the report required under subsection (c) publicly available on the website of the Department of Agriculture.
• (e) Moratorium on use of climate-Friendly certification during study
  • The Secretary of Agriculture may not issue any regulations or guidance or otherwise certify or advertise any agricultural product as climate-friendly before the date on which the report required under subsection (c) is submitted to Congress.