To amend the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 to establish and carry out a pilot program to use blockchain technology in food safety and labeling.
Impact
The implementation of this bill holds the potential to significantly enhance the transparency and safety of agricultural products. By incorporating blockchain technology, the bill seeks to address food safety concerns by ensuring that food can be traced back to its source, verifying claims such as organic labeling, and managing recalls more efficiently. The pilot program is set to last for four years, after which a report on its effectiveness will be submitted to relevant agricultural committees, potentially influencing future legislation around food safety standards and practices.
Summary
House Bill 4199 aims to amend the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 by establishing a pilot program to utilize blockchain technology in the areas of food safety and labeling. The bill mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture, through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, implement this pilot program to enhance food safety measures by more effectively tracing food products throughout production and distribution. Blockchain technology is proposed as a method to improve traceability, thus allowing for a swift response to any issues such as food adulteration or recalls.
Contention
While proponents of HB 4199 praise the innovation and increased safety it could bring to food labeling and recalls, there may be concerns regarding the costs and logistics of implementing such advanced technology. Stakeholders in agriculture, food production, and retail may have differing opinions on who bears the cost of adopting these new systems, as well as the potential regulatory burdens that might accompany such technological transitions. Additionally, the effectiveness of the pilot program in demonstrating tangible benefits will be critical for gathering broader support for future ideations of blockchain in agricultural contexts.
To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to authorize grants for eligible institutions to carry out agriculture workforce training programs, and for other purposes.
To amend the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to waive the matching funds requirement under the specialty crop research initiative, and for other purposes.
A bill to amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to authorize grants for eligible institutions to carry out agriculture workforce training programs, and for other purposes.
To amend the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to waive the matching funds requirement under the specialty crop research initiative, and for other purposes.