25 LC 60 0162
Senate Bill 365
By: Senators Watson of the 11th, Goodman of the 8th, Anderson of the 24th, Echols of the
49th, Moore of the 53rd and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Titles 2 and 4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to agriculture
1
and animals, respectively, so as to enhance transparency with respect to the marketing of2
produce and meat in this state; to provide for routine testing of produce for prohibited3
substances by large-scale organic produce producers; to provide for health risk management4
procedures with respect to the same; to provide for source verification and disclosure5
requirements by large-scale grassfed meat producers; to provide for disclosures, testing, and6
health risk management procedures with respect to older cattle; to provide for routine avian7
influenza testing by large-scale pasture-raised poultry producers; to provide for health risk8
management procedures with respect to the same; to provide for penalties; to provide for9
definitions; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to provide for an10
effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.11
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:12
SECTION 1.13
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Meat and Organic Produce14
Transparency and Safety Act."15
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SECTION 2.
16
Title 2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating agriculture, is amended in17
Chapter 21, relating to organic certification and labeling, by adding a new Code section to18
read follows:19
"2-21-3.1.
20
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:21
(1) 'Large-scale organic produce producer' means any person engaged in the production22
of organic produce in this state with annual gross sales of at least $500,000.00 per year.23
(2) 'Organic produce' means any fruit, vegetable, mushroom, sprout, peanut, tree nut,24
or herb labeled, advertised, or otherwise marketed as organic. Such term shall not25
include the small, hard fruits or seeds of arable crops, or the crops bearing these fruits or26
seeds, that are primarily grown and processed for use as meal, flour, baked goods,27
cereals, and oils, rather than for direct consumption as small, hard fruits or seeds.28
(b)(1) On or after January 1, 2026, large-scale organic produce producers shall conduct29
routine testing of organic produce as follows:30
(A) A minimum of 3 percent of organic produce shall be randomly selected and tested31
on a monthly basis for prohibited substances as defined in 21 C.F.R. 205.105;32
(B) Testing shall be conducted by a facility approved by the United States Department33
of Agriculture for organic testing; and34
(C) Records of all testing shall be maintained for a minimum of five years and made35
available to the department upon request.36
(2) If, during testing pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, any prohibited37
substance is detected at a level exceeding any federal limits, the producer shall:38
(A) Immediately notify the department and United States Department of Agriculture39
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; and40
(B) Cease sales and distribution of any affected organic produce until further guidance41
is provided by state and federal authorities."42
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SECTION 3.
43
Title 4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to animals, is amended in Article44
1 of Chapter 6, relating to livestock dealers, by adding a new Code section to read as45
follows:46
"4-6-13.
47
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:48
(1) 'Culling' means any process of removing certain livestock from primary meat49
production activities, including, but not limited to, sale through livestock markets, sale50
for processing due to health or age factors, or transfer to nonspecialty production systems.51
(2) 'Grassfed meat producer' means any person engaged in the production, processing,52
or sale of meat, including beef, pork, lamb, and goat, but excluding poultry, labeled,53
advertised, or otherwise marketed as grassfed, pasture-raised, or regeneratively raised,54
or under similar animal-raising claims.55
(3) 'Large-scale grassfed meat producer' means a grassfed meat producer located in this56
state with annual gross sales of meat products of at least $1 million per year.57
(4) 'Large-scale pasture-raised poultry producer' means a pasture-raised poultry producer58
located in this state with annual gross sales of poultry products of at least $250,000.0059
per year.60
(5) 'Livestock market' means any facility where livestock are bought, sold, or traded61
through public or private sale, including, but not limited to, auctions, stockyards, and62
trading barns.63
(6) 'Older cattle' means any cattle over five years of age at the time of slaughter.64
(7) 'Pasture-raised poultry producer' means any person engaged in the production,65
processing, or sale of poultry labeled, advertised, or otherwise marketed as pasture-raised66
or free-range, or under similar animal-raising claims.67
(8) 'Regeneratively raised' means, with respect to livestock, raised under a system of68
farming that seeks to improve soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience.69
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(9) 'Specified risk material' means, with respect to cattle, tissues considered to be of high70
risk for potentially carrying transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, including, but71
not limited to, the brain and spinal cord tissues.72
(b)(1) All large-scale grassfed meat producers shall maintain records sufficient to verify73
the source and management history of all livestock used in their meat production,74
including, but not limited to:75
(A) Livestock birth records;76
(B) Livestock feeding records;77
(C) Any transfer of ownership or transportation of livestock; and78
(D) Any other documentation required by the United States Department of Agriculture.79
(2) Such records shall be made available for inspection by the department upon request80
and retained for a minimum of five years.81
(c)(1) All large-scale grassfed meat producers that label, advertise, or otherwise market82
meat produced from livestock as grassfed, pasture-raised, or regeneratively raised, or83
under similar animal-raising claims shall include a clearly legible and conspicuous84
written disclosure stating whether the livestock:85
(A) Has been sold through a livestock market or auction;86
(B) Has been subject to culling prior to final sale;87
(C) Has been continuously managed under the specified production protocols without88
interruption;89
(D) Received feed that deviates from the marketed designation, such as grassfed cattle90
receiving grain at any point; and91
(E) Were over the age of five years at the time of slaughter.92
(2) Such disclosure shall be made available at the point of sale, on packaging or93
promotional materials, and on any official website or sales platform used by the94
large-scale grassfed meat producer.95
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(d)(1) All large-scale grassfed meat producers that sell beef produced from older cattle96
shall publicly disclose this fact through:97
(A) A clearly legible and conspicuous label on the packaging stating: 'This beef is from98
cattle over 5 years of age.'; and99
(B) Online sales listings or menus specifying when beef is sourced from older cattle.100
(2)(A) All older cattle used to produce beef shall undergo testing of specified risk101
materials at the time of slaughter for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies,102
including, but not limited to, testing for abnormal prion proteins linked to bovine103
spongiform encephalopathy, in accordance with any requirements set forth by the104
United States Department of Agriculture.105
(B) A large-scale grassfed meat producer shall dispose of any specified risk materials106
in accordance with any requirements set forth by the United States Department of107
Agriculture and the United States Food and Drug Administration.108
(C) A large-scale grassfed meat producer shall maintain documentation proving109
compliance with subparagraph (A) of this paragraph for no less than five years.110
(3) If a positive case of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies is detected, the111
large-scale grassfed meat producer shall immediately:112
(A) Notify the department and United States Department of Agriculture Animal and113
Plant Health Inspection Service; and114
(B) Cease sales and distribution of any beef products from the affected herd and follow115
any requirements set forth by the department and the United States Department of116
Agriculture.117
(e)(1) All large-scale pasture-raised poultry producers shall conduct routine avian118
influenza testing as follows:119
(A) A minimum of 3 percent of live poultry flocks shall be tested on a weekly basis for120
highly pathogenic avian influenza and low pathogenic avian influenza;121
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(B) Testing shall be conducted by an accredited laboratory using United States122
Department of Agriculture approved methods; and123
(C) Records of all testing shall be maintained for a minimum of five years and made124
available to the department upon request.125
(2) If a positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza is detected, the large-scale126
pasture-raised poultry producer shall immediately:127
(A) Notify the department and United States Department of Agriculture Animal and128
Plant Health Inspection Service;129
(B) Cease sales and distribution of poultry products from the affected flock until130
further guidance is provided by state and federal authorities; and131
(C) Implement biosecurity measures to prevent disease spread, including flock culling132
if required by United States Department of Agriculture regulations.133
(3) Any failure to comply with avian influenza testing requirements set forth in this134
subsection shall result in penalties as outlined in subsection (g) of this Code section.135
(f)(1) Large-scale grassfed meat producers and large-scale pasture-raised poultry136
producers that label, advertise, or otherwise market multiple types of meat as grassfed,137
pasture-raised, free-range, or regeneratively raised, or under similar animal-raising claims138
shall ensure separate and verifiable tracking for each species.139
(2) Large-scale grassfed meat producers and large-scale pasture-raised poultry producers140
engaged in direct-to-consumer online sales shall provide consumers with accessible141
sourcing verification through a scannable QR code, public webpage, or other verifiable142
digital record.143
(g) Any large-scale grassfed meat producer or large-scale pasture-raised poultry producer144
found in violation of this Code section shall be subject to:145
(1) A civil penalty not to exceed $5,000.00 per violation for a first offense;146
(2) A civil penalty not to exceed $10,000.00 per violation for subsequent offenses; and147
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(3) Revocation or suspension of such producer's ability to market or sell meat or poultry148
products within this state under the designations of grassfed pasture-raised, free-range,149
or regeneratively raised, or under similar animal-raising claims for repeated150
noncompliance."151
SECTION 4.152
This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2026.153
SECTION 5.154
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.155
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