HB 817: Georgia Meat Transparency and Source Verification Act; enact

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, relating to livestock dealers, so as to provide for source verification requirements for large-scale meat producers; to provide for written disclosures; to provide for disclosures and health risk management for older livestock; to provide for avian influenza testing for large-scale poultry producers; to regulate multispecies producers; to provide for enforcement and penalties; to provide for definitions; to provide legislative findings and declarations; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Meat Transparency and Source Verification Act."

SECTION 2.

The General Assembly finds and declares that the purpose of this Act is to enhance transparency in the marketing and sale of meat products labeled as "grassfed," "pasture-raised," "regeneratively raised," or similar designations by requiring large-scale producers to verify the origin and management history of their livestock. This Act also establishes public health safeguards by implementing testing protocols for older cattle and avian influenza in pasture-raised poultry.

SECTION 3.

Article 1 of Chapter 6 of Title 4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to livestock dealers, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:

"4-6-13.

(a) As used in this Code section, the term:

(1) 'Avian influenza testing' means a diagnostic procedure conducted to detect the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza or low pathogenic avian influenza in live poultry populations.

(2) 'Culling' means any method of removing livestock from primary production, including but not limited to sale through livestock markets, sale for processing due to health or age factors, or transfer to nonspecialty production systems.

(3) 'Large-scale meat producer' means a meat producer with annual gross sales of meat products of at least $1 million per year.

(4) 'Large-scale poultry producer' means a poultry producer with annual gross sales of poultry products of at least $250,000.00 per year.

(5) 'Livestock market' means any facility where livestock are bought, sold, or traded through public or private sale, including but not limited to auctions, stockyards, and trading barns.

(6) 'Meat producer' means any person engaged in the production, processing, or sale of meat in this state, including beef, pork, lamb, and goat, but excluding poultry, marketed under grassfed, pasture-raised, regenerative, or similar agriculture labels.

(7) 'Older cattle' means any livestock over five years of age at the time of slaughter.

(8) 'Poultry producer' means any person engaged in the production, processing, or sale of poultry in this state marketed under grassfed, pasture-raised, regenerative, or similar agriculture labels.

(9) 'Regenerative' means a system of farming that seeks to improve soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience, often associated with livestock production claims. (b)(1) All large-scale meat producers located in this state shall maintain records verifying the source and management history of all livestock used in their meat production, including:

(A) Birth records, identifying the original producer or ranch;

(B) Any transfers of ownership or location changes, including feedlots, auctions, or direct-to-slaughter transactions; and

(C) Documentation proving continuous compliance with United States Department of Agriculture approved standards applicable to their specific marketing claims, such as 100 percent grassfed and pasture-raised.

(2) Such records shall be made available for inspection by the department upon request and retained for a minimum of five years.

(c)(1) Any meat marketed or sold in this state under the designations covered in this Code section shall include a clear, written disclosure stating whether the livestock:

(A) Have ever been sold through a livestock market or auction;

(B) Have ever been subject to a culling process prior to final sale;

(C) Have been continuously managed under the specified production protocols without interruption;

(D) Were finished on feed that deviates from the marketed designation, such as grassfed cattle receiving grain at any point; and

(E) Were over the age of five years at the time of slaughter.

(2) This disclosure shall be made available at the point of sale, on packaging or promotional materials, and on any official website or sales platform used by the producer. (d)(1) Any large-scale meat producer marketing beef from cattle older than five years at the time of slaughter shall publicly disclose this fact through:

(A) A label on packaging stating: 'This beef is from cattle over 5 years of age'; and

(B) Online sales listings or menus specifying when beef is sourced from older cattle.

(2) Any beef from cattle over five years old shall undergo testing for specified risk materials associated with transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, including but not limited to:

(A) Testing for abnormal prion proteins linked to bovine spongiform encephalopathy;

(B) Removal and proper disposal of spinal cords, brains, eyes, and other high-risk tissues as required under United States Department of Agriculture and United States Food and Drug Administration regulations; and

(C) Documentation proving compliance with specific risk materials removal and testing requirements, to be retained for no less than five years. (e)(1) All poultry producers shall conduct routine avian influenza testing as follows:

(A) A minimum of 3 percent of live poultry flocks shall be tested weekly for highly pathogenic avian influenza and low pathogenic avian influenza;

(B) Testing shall be conducted by an accredited laboratory using United States Department of Agriculture approved methods; and

(C) Records of all testing shall be maintained for a minimum of five years and made available to the department upon request.

(2) If a positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza is detected, the producer shall:

(A) Immediately notify the department and United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service;

(B) Cease sales and distribution of poultry products from the affected flock until further guidance is provided by state and federal authorities; and

(C) Implement biosecurity measures to prevent disease spread, including flock culling if required by United States Department of Agriculture regulations.

(3) Any failure to comply with avian influenza testing requirements shall result in penalties as outlined in subsection (g) of this Code section. (f)(1) Large-scale meat producers and large-scale poultry producers marketing multiple types of meat under regenerative or pasture-based claims shall ensure separate and verifiable tracking for each species to avoid cross-contamination of claims.

(2) Large-scale meat producers and large-scale poultry producers engaged in direct-to-consumer online sales shall provide consumers with accessible sourcing verification through a scannable QR code, detailed webpage, or other verifiable digital record.

(g) Any large-scale meat producer or large-scale poultry producer found in violation of this Code section shall be subject to:

(1) A civil penalty not to exceed $5,000.00 per violation for a first offense;

(2) A civil penalty not to exceed $10,000.00 per violation for subsequent offenses; and

(3) Revocation or suspension of the producer's ability to market meat or poultry products under the covered designations within this state for repeated noncompliance."

SECTION 4.

This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2026.

SECTION 5.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.