Title 7 — AgricultureRelease 119-73
§1639c Savings provisions
Title 7 › Chapter CHAPTER 38— - DISTRIBUTION AND MARKETING OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER V— - NATIONAL BIOENGINEERED FOOD DISCLOSURE STANDARD › § 1639c
Summary
Follow U.S. international obligations when applying these rules. They do not change the power of HHS or the Treasury, do not create rights under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act or Federal Alcohol Administration Act, and a food can't be called "not bioengineered" or "non‑GMO" just because no bioengineered disclosure is required.
Full Legal Text
Title 7, §1639c
Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)This subchapter shall be applied in a manner consistent with United States obligations under international agreements.
(b)Nothing in this subchapter—
(1)affects the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services or creates any rights or obligations for any person under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.); or
(2)affects the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury or creates any rights or obligations for any person under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act (27 U.S.C. 201 et seq.).
(c)A food may not be considered to be “not bioengineered”, “non-GMO”, or any other similar claim describing the absence of bioengineering in the food solely because the food is not required to bear a disclosure that the food is bioengineered under this subchapter.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is act June 25, 1938, ch. 675, 52 Stat. 1040, which is classified generally to chapter 9 (§ 301 et seq.) of Title 21, Food and Drugs. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 301 of Title 21 and Tables. The Federal Alcohol Administration Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is act Aug. 29, 1935, ch. 814, 49 Stat. 977, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 201 et seq.) of chapter 8 of Title 27, Intoxicating Liquors. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 201 of Title 27 and Tables.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
7 U.S.C. § 1639c
Title 7 — Agriculture
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73