CURD Act

This bill sets a clear, national meaning for “natural cheese” so shoppers can tell it apart from processed cheese. It says natural cheese is made from animal milk using standard cheesemaking methods, and it cannot be a processed product like cheese food or cheese spread. If a product doesn’t meet this definition, it can’t use the term “natural cheese” on its label. The bill also makes this rule the same across all states. Companies may still use general terms like “natural” or “all‑natural” if that follows existing FDA rules and guidance.

Key points:

• Who is affected: cheesemakers and food companies that label cheese products, and consumers who rely on clear labels.
• What changes: defines “natural cheese,” excludes processed cheeses and similar products, and bars labels from using “natural cheese” if they don’t qualify; creates a single national standard for this label term.