Federal RuleAug 21
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RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
119-hr-4987119th CongressWALLET
Food Date Labeling Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
In Committee
Summary
A national system of standardized date labels would make it easier to tell when food is about quality versus when it may no longer be safe. It defines "quality date phrases" and "discard date phrases" and would direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to write rules for their use.
Show full summary
- Consumers and households. Would make it clearer when food is still wholesome but losing quality versus when it reaches the end of its estimated shelf life. Uniform phrases would include "BEST If Used By" for quality and "USE By" or the abbreviation "UB" for discard.
- Food producers, retailers, and donors. Would let the labeler choose a quality date or a discard date, add "or freeze by," and use technologies like QR codes or smart labels. The bill preserves donation protections under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act.
- States and enforcement. Would let USDA and HHS issue final regulations within two years, expand misbranding rules to cover noncompliant date labels, and apply the labeling rules to foods labeled two years after enactment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
New national food date labels
If enacted, the bill would define two date types on food labels: quality dates and discard dates. Quality dates would use the uniform phrase "BEST If Used By" (or "BB" on very small packages). Discard dates would use "USE By" (or "UB" on very small packages). Dates must be easy to read and can show month/year or month/day/year. Labelers could add "or freeze by" and use QR codes, smart labels, or time-temperature indicators. Labels that use these date phrases but do not follow the rules would be treated as misbranding, including under meat, poultry, and egg laws.
Two-year rollout and agency rules
If enacted, the bill would assign USDA to oversee meat, poultry, and egg labels and HHS to oversee other foods. The agencies would have to publish final rules not later than two years after enactment. The labeling requirements would apply only to packages labeled two years after enactment, giving businesses time to comply. The agencies would also have to run consumer education and outreach about the date phrases within two years.
State rules, remedies, and exceptions
If enacted, the bill would bar states from requiring different or extra quality or discard date phrases on food labels. The bill would still let states or localities ban sale or donation of foods after a discard date. It would preserve state and federal common-law and FTC remedies for consumers and enforcers. The bill would not apply to infant formula and would leave existing infant-formula rules in place.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
ME • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4]
WA • R
Sponsored 8/15/2025
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
NY • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19]
NY • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
IL • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6]
IL • D
Sponsored 10/10/2025
Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
NY • R
Sponsored 10/10/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 10/14/2025
Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22]
FL • D
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Rep. Bresnahan, Robert P. [R-PA-8]
PA • R
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2]
NJ • R
Sponsored 7/20/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov