SB 365: "Georgia Meat and Organic Produce Transparency and Safety Act"; enact

Georgia currently has no state law requiring routine testing or detailed disclosures for producers who market food as organic, grassfed, pasture-raised, or regeneratively raised. This bill, called the Georgia Meat and Organic Produce Transparency and Safety Act, changes that for larger producers. Large-scale organic produce growers (over $500,000 in annual sales) must test at least 3 percent of their produce monthly for prohibited substances. Large-scale grassfed meat producers (over $1 million in sales) must keep source records, disclose whether animals were sold through livestock markets or culled, and test older cattle (over five years old) for mad cow disease at slaughter. Large-scale pasture-raised poultry producers (over $250,000 in sales) must test flocks weekly for avian influenza. The bill also requires QR codes or online sourcing verification for direct-to-consumer sales, sets civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation, and allows the state to suspend a producer's ability to use these marketing labels for repeated violations. The law would take effect January 1, 2026.

• Requires large-scale organic produce producers (over $500,000 in annual sales) to test at least 3 percent of produce monthly for banned substances starting January 1, 2026.
• Requires large-scale grassfed meat producers (over $1 million in sales) to keep five years of records on livestock birth, feeding, and ownership transfers.
• Requires public disclosure of whether meat marketed as grassfed or pasture-raised came from animals sold at auction, culled, or fed differently than advertised.
• Requires beef from cattle over five years old to carry a label stating the animal's age and to be tested for mad cow disease at slaughter.
• Requires large-scale pasture-raised poultry producers (over $250,000 in sales) to test at least 3 percent of flocks weekly for avian influenza.
• Creates civil penalties up to $5,000 for a first violation and $10,000 for repeat violations, plus possible suspension of marketing labels.

Large organic produce farms, grassfed and pasture-raised beef, pork, lamb, and goat producers, and pasture-raised poultry operations that meet the state's sales thresholds. It also affects consumers who buy products marketed with these labels and the Georgia Department of Agriculture, which enforces the new rules.

Consumers buying products labeled organic, grassfed, or pasture-raised would get more information about how the animals or crops were actually raised, including age at slaughter and disease testing results. Larger producers would face new testing costs, recordkeeping duties, and financial penalties for noncompliance.

• Section 2 adds O.C.G.A. § 2-21-3.1, requiring large-scale organic produce producers to test 3 percent of produce monthly for prohibited substances and report any violations to state and federal agencies.
• Section 3 adds O.C.G.A. § 4-6-13, defining key terms like 'culling,' 'older cattle,' and 'specified risk material' used throughout the meat provisions.
• Section 3 requires large-scale grassfed meat producers to disclose at point of sale whether livestock were sold through auctions, culled, fed grain, or over five years old at slaughter.
• Section 3 requires beef from cattle over five years old to be labeled 'This beef is from cattle over 5 years of age' and tested for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (mad cow disease).
• Section 3 requires large-scale pasture-raised poultry producers to test flocks weekly for avian influenza and immediately halt sales if highly pathogenic avian influenza is found.
• Section 3 sets civil penalties of up to $5,000 for a first violation and $10,000 for repeat violations, with possible suspension of the right to use marketing labels.
• Section 4 sets the effective date as January 1, 2026.

1. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senate)
2. 2025-04-04Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2025-04-04Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
4. 2025-03-28Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2025-03-27Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)Primary sponsor
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
• Colton Moore (R, SD-053)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)

• food labeling
• organic farming
• meat production
• agriculture regulation
• food safety