,,ii  #aad? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #bidg  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,may #ah1 #bjaf ,mr4   
,blum5?al introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0
 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on 
,heal?1 ,education1 ,labor1 & ,p5sions  
,a ,,bill  ,to e/abli% requirem5ts      
reg>d+ quality dates & safety dates 9   
food label+1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4     
,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !   
,food ,date ,label+ ,act ( #bjaf4  #b4  
,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3  7#a7 ,z
 ( ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 date   
label+ practices on food packag+ cause  
confusion ) sell-by1 be/-by1 use-by1 &  
be/ be=e dates1 lead+ up to #ij p]c5t ( 
individuals 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates to        
occasionally ?r[ out /ill-fre% food4    
7#b7 ,confusion ov] ! mean+ ( date      
labels is e/imat$ to acc\nt = #bj p]c5t 
( consum] wa/e ( safe1 edible food1     
lead+ to approximately #bi1jjj1jjj1jjj (
 wa/$ consum] sp5d+ ea* ye>4  7#c7      
,consum] education & /&>diz$ date label+
 are ! top #b mo/ co/-effective         

/rategies = r$uc+ food wa/e1 by economic
 value p] ton div]t$4  7#d7 ,wa/$ food  
co/s consum]s & indu/ry money1 squ&]s   
important natural res\rces t are us$ to 
gr[1 process1 di/ribute1 & /ore ! food  
supply ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 & repres5ts a 
miss$ opportunity to fe$ ! millions (   
food insecure h\seholds 9 ! ,unit$      
,/ates t are /ruggl+ to access heal?y1  
af=dable food4  #c4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is  
,act3 7#a7 ,adm9i/]+ ,secret>ies ,! t]m 
adm9i/]+ ,secret>ies means--  7,a7 )    
respect to products describ$ 9 p>agraph 
7#d77;,a71 ! ,secret>y ( ,agriculture2 &
  7,b7 ) respect to products describ$ 9 
p>agraph 7#d77;,b71 ! ,secret>y ( ,heal?
 & ,human ,s]vices4  7#b7 ,food label]  
,! t]m food label] means ! produc]1     
manufactur]1 di/ributor1 or retail] t   
places a date label on food packag+ ( a 
product4  7#c7 ,quality date ,! t]m     
quality date means a date volunt>ily    
pr9t$ on food packag+ t is int5d$ to    
communicate to consum]s ! date aft] :i* 
! quality ( ! product may beg9 to       

det]iorate1 b may /ill be acceptable =  
consumption4  7#d7 ,ready-to-eat product
 ,! t]m ready-to-eat product means--    
7,a7 ) respect to a product "u !        
jurisdiction ( ! ,secret>y (            
,agriculture1 a product t--  7i7 is 9 a 
=m t is edible )\t additional prep>ation
 to a*ieve food safety & may receive    
additional prep>ation = palatability or 
ae/hetic1 epicurean1 ga/ronomic1 or     
cul9>y purposes2 &  7ii7 is-- 7,i7 a    
p\ltry product1 z def9$ 9 section #d ( !
 ,p\ltry ,products ,inspection ,act 7#ba
 ,u4,s4,c4 #dec72  7,,ii7 a meat food   
product1 z def9$ 9 section #a ( ! ,f$]al
 ,meat ,inspection ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4  
#fja72 or  7,,iii7 an egg product1 z    
def9$ 9 section #d ( ! ,egg ,products   
,inspection ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #ajcc72 
&  7,b7 ) respect to a food 7z def9$ 9  
section #bja ( ! ,f$]al ,food1 ,drug1 & 
,cosmetic ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #cba77 "u 
! jurisdiction ( ! ,secret>y ( ,heal? & 
,human ,s]vices--  7i7 a food t is      
normally eat5 9 its raw /ate2 or  7ii7  

any o!r food1 includ+ a process$ food1 =
 :i* x is reasonably =eseeable t ! food 
w be eat5 )\t fur!r process+ t w\ld     
significantly m9imize biological haz>ds4
  7#e7 ,safety date ,! t]m safety date  
means a date pr9t$ on food packag+ ( a  
ready-to-eat product1 :i* signifies !   
end ( ! e/imat$ p]iod ( %elf life "u any
 /at$ /orage conditions1 aft] :i* !     
product may pose a heal? safety risk4   
#d4 ,quality dates & safety dates  7a7  
,quality dates  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,if a food
 label] includes a quality date on food 
packag+1 ! label %all use ! uni=m       
quality date label phrase "u p>agraph   
7#b74  7#b7 ,uni=m phrase ,! uni=m      
quality date label phrase "u ?is        
p>agraph %all be be/ if us$ by1 unless &
 until ! adm9i/]+ ,secret>ies1 act+     
jo9tly1 specify ?r\gh rulemak+ ano!r    
uni=m phrase to be us$ = purposes (     
comply+ ) p>agraph 7#a74  7#c7 ,option (
 ! label] ,! decision to include a      
quality date on food packag+ %all be at 
! discretion ( ! food label]4  7b7      

,safety dates  7#a7 ,9 ,g5]al ,! label (
 a ready-to-eat product %all include a  
safety date t is imm$iately prec$$ by ! 
uni=m safety date label phrase "u       
p>agraph 7#b7 if ! ready-to-eat         
product--  7,a7 meets ! crit]ia describ$
 9 p>agraph 7#c77;,a7 & is n exempt "u  
p>agraph 7#c77;,b77ii72 or  7,b7 is li/$
 9 accordance ) p>agraph 7#c77;,b77i74  
7#b7 ,uni=m phrase ,! uni=m safety date 
label phrase "u ?is p>agraph %all be    
#8expires on'1 unless & until ! adm9i/]+
 ,secret>ies jo9tly specify ?r\gh       
rulemak+ ano!r uni=m phrase to be us$ = 
purposes ( comply+ ) p>agraph 7#a74     
7#c7 ,high-risk ready-to-eat products   
7,a7 ,9 ,g5]al ,! adm9i/]+ ,secret>ies1 
act+ jo9tly1 %all describe crit]ia t    
det]m9e :at ready-to-eat products may h 
a high level ( risk associat$ )         
consumption aft] a c]ta9 date1 includ+  
^? t may be high or v high risk =       
,li/]ia monocytog5es or o!r contam9ants 
or pa?og5s caus+ foodborne illness4     
7,b7 ,additional foods2 exempt foods ,! 

adm9i/]+ ,secret>ies may1 ) respect to !
 products "u ! jurisdiction ( ! adm9i/]+
 ,secret>ies1 respectively--  7i7 li/   
additional ready-to-eat products t are  
high risk1 b d n meet ! crit]ia describ$
 9 subp>agraph 7,a72 or  7ii7 exempt    
specific ready-to-eat products t meet ! 
crit]ia describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a71 b d
 n actually pose a high level ( risk    
associat$ ) consumption aft] a c]ta9    
date4  7,c7 ,review & updates ,n less   
?an once e #d ye>s1 ! adm9i/]+          
,secret>ies1 act+ jo9tly1 %all review &1
 z ! adm9i/]+ ,secret>ies det]m9e       
appropriate1 %all update--  7i7 !       
crit]ia describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a72 &  
7ii7 ! li/ & exemptions describ$ 9      
subp>agraph 7,b74  7c7 ,quality date &  
safety date label+  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,!    
quality date & safety date1 z           
applicable1 & imm$iately adjac5t uni=m  
quality date label phrase or safety date
 label phrase %all be--  7,a7 9 s+le    
easy-to-read type /yle us+ upp] & l[]   
case lett]s 9 ! /&>d =m2  7,b7 9 a type 

size no small] ?an #h po9t2 &  7,c7     
locat$ 9 a conspicu\s place on ! package
 ( ! food4  7#b7 ,date =mat ,ea* quality
 date & safety date %all be /at$ 9 t]ms 
( day & mon? &1 z appropriate1 ye>4  7d7
 ,guidance ,! ,commission] ( ,food &    
,drugs & ! ,secret>y ( ,agriculture %all
 e/abli% guidance = food label]s on h[  
to det]m9e quality dates & safety dates 
= food products4  7e7 ,sale or donation 
aft] quality date ,no "o %all prohibit !
 sale1 donation1 or use ( any product   
aft] ! quality date = ! product has     
pass$4  7f7 ,education ,n lat] ?an #a   
ye> aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !
 adm9i/]+ ,secret>ies1 act+ jo9tly1 %all
 provide consum] education & outrea* on 
! mean+ ( quality date & safety date    
food labels4  7g7 ,rule ( ,con/ruction2 
preemption  7#a7 ,rule ( con/ruction    
,no?+ 9 ?is section %all be con/ru$ to  
prohibit any ,/ate or political         
subdivision ( a ,/ate f e/abli%+ or     
cont9u+ 9 effect any requirem5t t       
prohibits ! sale or donation ( foods    

bas$ on passage ( ! safety date4  7#b7  
,preemption ,no ,/ate or political      
subdivision ( a ,/ate may e/abli% or    
cont9ue 9 effect any requirem5t t--     
7,a7 relates to ! inclusion 9 food      
label+ ( a quality date or a safety date
 t is diff]5t f or 9 addition to1 or t  
is o!rwise n id5tical )1 ! requirem5ts  
"u ?is section2 or  7,b7 prohibits !    
sale or donation ( foods bas$ on passage
 ( ! quality date4  7#c7 ,en=cem5t ,!   
adm9i/]+ ,secret>ies1 act+ jo9tly & 9   
coord9ation ) ! ,f$]al ,trade           
,commission1 %all ensure t ! uni=m      
quality date label phrase & uni=m safety
 date label phrase are /&>diz$ across   
all food products4  7#d7 ,sav+s ,no?+ 9 
?is ,act1 nor any am5dm5t made by ?is   
,act1 nor any /&>d or requirem5t impos$ 
pursuant to ?is ,act %all be con/ru$ to 
preempt1 displace1 or supplant any ,/ate
 or ,f$]al common law rights or any     
,/ate or ,f$]al /atute creat+ a rem$y = 
civil relief1 includ+ ^? = civil damage1
 or a p5alty = crim9al conduct4  7h7 ,"t

 temp]ature indicator labels ,no?+ 9 ?is
 section %all be con/ru$ to prohibit or 
re/rict ! use ( "t-temp]ature indicator 
labels or simil> te*nology t is consi/5t
 ) ! requirem5ts ( ?is ,act4  7i7       
,delay$ applicability ,?is section %all 
apply only ) respect to food products t 
are label$ on or aft] a date t is #b    
ye>s aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act4 
#e4 ,misbr&+ violation = quality dates &
 safety dates 9 food label+  7a7 ,,fda  
violations ,section #djc ( ! ,f$]al     
,food1 ,drug1 & ,cosmetic ,act 7#ba     
,u4,s4,c4 #cdc7 is am5d$ by add+ at !   
end ! foll[+3  7z7 if its label+ is 9   
violation ( section #d ( ! ,food ,date  
,label+ ,act ( #bjaf 7relat+ to quality 
dates & safety dates74  4  7b7 ,p\ltry  
products ,section #d7;h7 ( ! ,p\ltry    
,products ,inspection ,act 7#ba         
,u4,s4,c4 #dec7;h77 is am5d$-- 7#a7 9   
p>agraph 7#aa71 by /rik+ or at ! end2   
7#b7 9 p>agraph 7#ab71 by /rik+ ! p]iod 
at ! end & ins]t+ 2 or2 &  7#c7 by add+ 
at ! end ! foll[+3  7#ac7 if x does n   

be> a label 9 accordance ) section #d ( 
! ,food ,date ,label+ ,act ( #bjaf4  4  
7c7 ,meat products ,section #a7n7 ( !   
,f$]al ,meat ,inspection ,act 7#ba      
,u4,s4,c4 #fja7n77 is am5d$--  7#a7 9   
p>agraph 7#aa71 by /rik+ or at ! end2   
7#b7 9 p>agraph 7#ab71 by /rik+ ! p]iod 
at ! end & ins]t+ 2 or2 &  7#c7 by add+ 
at ! end ! foll[+3  7#ac7 if x does n   
be> a label 9 accordance ) section #d ( 
! ,food ,date ,label+ ,act ( #bjaf4  4  
7d7 ,egg products ,section #g7;b7 ( !   
,egg ,products ,inspection ,act 7#ba    
,u4,s4,c4 #ajcf7;b77 is am5d$ 9 ! fir/  
s5t5ce by add+ be=e ! p]iod at ! end or 
if x does n be> a label 9 accordance )  
section #d ( ! ,food ,date ,label+ ,act 
( #bjaf4  #f4 ,report to congress ,n    
lat] ?an #e ye>s aft] ! date ( enactm5t 
( ?is ,act1 ! adm9i/]+ ,secret>ies1 act+
 jo9tly1 %all report to ! appropriate   
committees ( ,congress on ! progress 9 !
 r$uction ( food wa/e t c be attribut$  
to ! /&>dization ( food date label+ &   
consum] education requir$ by ?is ,act & 

! am5dm5ts made by ?is ,act4