HB817: HB817 Georgia Meat Transparency and Source Verification Act; enact

25 LC 44 3178 House Bill 817 By: Representatives Dickey of the 134th, Meeks of the 178th, and Dawson of the 65th A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Article 1 of Chapter 6 of Title 4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,1 relating to livestock dealers, so as to provide for source veri fication requirements for2 large-scale meat producers; to provide for written disclosures; to provide for disclosures and3 health risk management for older livestock; to provide for avia n influenza testing for4 large-scale poultry producers; to regulate multispecies producers; to provide for enforcement5 and penalties; to provide for definitions; to provide legislative findings and declarations; to6 provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to p rovide for an effective date; to7 repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.8 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:9 SECTION 1.10 This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Meat Transparency and Source11 Verification Act."12 SECTION 2.13 The General Assembly finds and declares that the purpose of thi s Act is to enhance14 transparency in the marketing and sale of meat products labeled as "grassfed,"15 H. B. 817 - 1 - 25 LC 44 3178 "pasture-raised," "regeneratively raised," or similar designati ons by requiring large-scale16 producers to verify the origin and management history of their livestock. This Act also17 establishes public health safeguards by implementing testing protocols for older cattle and18 avian influenza in pasture-raised poultry.19 SECTION 3.20 Article 1 of Chapter 6 of Title 4 of the Official Code of Georg ia Annotated, relating to21 livestock dealers, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:22 "4-6-13.23 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:24 (1) 'Avian influenza testing' means a diagnostic procedure con ducted to detect the25 presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza or low pathogenic avian influenza in live26 poultry populations.27 (2) 'Culling' means any method of removing livestock from prim ary production,28 including but not limited to sale through livestock markets, sa le for processing due to29 health or age factors, or transfer to nonspecialty production systems.30 (3) 'Large-scale meat producer' means a meat producer with annual gross sales of meat31 products of at least $1 million per year.32 (4) 'Large-scale poultry producer' means a poultry producer with annual gross sales of33 poultry products of at least $250,000.00 per year.34 (5) 'Livestock market' means any facility where livestock are bought, sold, or traded35 through public or private sale, including but not limited to au ctions, stockyards, and36 trading barns.37 (6) 'Meat producer' means any person engaged in the production, processing, or sale of38 meat in this state, including beef, pork, lamb, and goat, but excluding poultry, marketed39 under grassfed, pasture-raised, regenerative, or similar agriculture labels.40 (7) 'Older cattle' means any livestock over five years of age at the time of slaughter.41 H. B. 817 - 2 - 25 LC 44 3178 (8) 'Poultry producer' means any person engaged in the production, processing, or sale42 of poultry in this state marketed under grassfed, pasture-raised, regenerative, or similar43 agriculture labels.44 (9) 'Regenerative' means a system of farming that seeks to imp rove soil health,45 biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience, often associated with livestock production claims.46 (b)(1) All large-scale meat producers located in this state shall maintain records verifying47 the source and management history of all livestock used in thei r meat production,48 including:49 (A) Birth records, identifying the original producer or ranch;50 (B) Any transfers of ownership or location changes, including feedlots, auctions, or51 direct-to-slaughter transactions; and52 (C) Documentation proving continuous compliance with United States Department of53 Agriculture approved standards applicable to their specific marketing claims, such as54 100 percent grassfed and pasture-raised.55 (2) Such records shall be made available for inspection by the department upon request56 and retained for a minimum of five years.57 (c)(1) Any meat marketed or sold in this state under the desig nations covered in this58 Code section shall include a clear, written disclosure stating whether the livestock:59 (A) Have ever been sold through a livestock market or auction;60 (B) Have ever been subject to a culling process prior to final sale;61 (C) Have been continuously managed under the specified production protocols without62 interruption;63 (D) Were finished on feed that deviates from the marketed desi gnation, such as64 grassfed cattle receiving grain at any point; and65 (E) Were over the age of five years at the time of slaughter.66 (2) This disclosure shall be made available at the point of sa le, on packaging or67 promotional materials, and on any official website or sales platform used by the producer.68 H. B. 817 - 3 - 25 LC 44 3178 (d)(1) Any large-scale meat producer marketing beef from cattle older than five years at69 the time of slaughter shall publicly disclose this fact through:70 (A) A label on packaging stating: 'This beef is from cattle over 5 years of age'; and71 (B) Online sales listings or menus specifying when beef is sourced from older cattle.72 (2) Any beef from cattle over five years old shall undergo tes ting for specified risk73 materials associated with transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, including but not74 limited to:75 (A) Testing for abnormal prion proteins linked to bovine spongiform encephalopathy;76 (B) Removal and proper disposal of spinal cords, brains, eyes, and other high-risk77 tissues as required under United States Department of Agricultu re and United States78 Food and Drug Administration regulations; and79 (C) Documentation proving compliance with specific risk materi als removal and80 testing requirements, to be retained for no less than five years.81 (e)(1) All poultry producers shall conduct routine avian influenza testing as follows:82 (A) A minimum of 3 percent of live poultry flocks shall be tes ted weekly for highly83 pathogenic avian influenza and low pathogenic avian influenza;84 (B) Testing shall be conducted by an accredited laboratory usi ng United States85 Department of Agriculture approved methods; and86 (C) Records of all testing shall be maintained for a minimum of five years and made87 available to the department upon request.88 (2) If a positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza is detected, the producer shall:89 (A) Immediately notify the department and United States Department of Agriculture90 Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service;91 (B) Cease sales and distribution of poultry products from the affected flock until92 further guidance is provided by state and federal authorities; and93 (C) Implement biosecurity measures to prevent disease spread, including flock culling94 if required by United States Department of Agriculture regulations.95 H. B. 817 - 4 - 25 LC 44 3178 (3) Any failure to comply with avian influenza testing require ments shall result in96 penalties as outlined in subsection (g) of this Code section.97 (f)(1) Large-scale meat producers and large-scale poultry producers marketing multiple98 types of meat under regenerative or pasture-based claims shall ensure separate and99 verifiable tracking for each species to avoid cross-contamination of claims.100 (2) Large-scale meat producers and large-scale poultry produce rs engaged in101 direct-to-consumer online sales shall provide consumers with ac cessible sourcing102 verification through a scannable QR code, detailed webpage, or other verifiable digital103 record.104 (g) Any large-scale meat producer or large-scale poultry produ cer found in violation of105 this Code section shall be subject to:106 (1) A civil penalty not to exceed $5,000.00 per violation for a first offense;107 (2) A civil penalty not to exceed $10,000.00 per violation for subsequent offenses; and108 (3) Revocation or suspension of the producer's ability to market meat or poultry products109 under the covered designations within this state for repeated noncompliance."110 SECTION 4.111 This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2026.112 SECTION 5.113 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.114 H. 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