Organic Imports Verification Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9423
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-24: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-06T19:44:04Z
AI-Generated Summary
Organic Imports Verification Act of 2026
Purpose
This legislation requires the Secretary of Agriculture to submit annual reports to Congress on residue testing for imported organic feedstuffs shipped in bulk. It establishes risk-based protocols for selecting and testing certain imported organic feedstuffs to verify compliance with organic standards.
Key Provisions
- Definitions: The bill defines key terms, including "covered organic feedstuff" (imported organic feed shipped in bulk with a national organic program import certificate), "shipped in bulk" (loose in ship holds, railcars, containers, or similar methods, excluding packaged goods), and related terms from the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990.
- Annual Report: Starting 180 days after enactment and each year thereafter, the Secretary must report to Congress on residue testing for covered organic feedstuffs and other qualifying imported organic feedstuffs. The report must cover testing frequency, methods, results, analysis standards, and any resulting actions.
- Risk-Based Protocols: The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the organic agricultural product imports interagency working group, must develop and update risk-based protocols to determine which imported organic feedstuffs require testing and the parameters (such as frequency, quantity, type, and responsibility for testing).
- List of Covered Items: The Secretary must create and annually update a confidential list of imported organic feedstuffs subject to required testing; this list is not publicly available.
- Mandatory Testing and Actions: Each year, residue testing must occur for listed items. If testing detects prohibited substances above permitted levels under the national organic program or equivalent state programs, the shipment must be excluded from organic sale and cannot be sold, labeled, or represented as organic.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
The bill adds new mandatory annual reporting and testing requirements specifically for bulk-shipped imported organic feedstuffs, building on but expanding beyond existing authorities in the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (such as sections 2107(a)(6), 2112(a), and related regulations). It introduces a confidential risk-based list and corrective exclusion rules not previously mandated in this form, while requiring interagency consultation with the Department of Homeland Security.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The Department of Agriculture (through the Agricultural Marketing Service) gains responsibilities for protocol development, list maintenance, testing execution, and reporting; this may increase administrative and operational workload.
- Citizens: Improved verification could strengthen confidence in the organic status of products derived from imported feed, though it may indirectly affect availability or costs of organic livestock products.
- International Relations: The measures could influence trade by imposing additional verification on imports, potentially affecting exporters and countries with organic equivalency agreements.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Agricultural Marketing Service
- Importers and suppliers of organic feedstuffs
- Organic producers and farmers who use imported feed
- Congress (as recipient of reports)
- The organic agricultural product imports interagency working group and Department of Homeland Security
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
The bill operates within existing federal authority over agriculture and food labeling under the Organic Foods Production Act. The confidentiality provision for the testing list limits public access to certain regulatory details. It emphasizes enforcement through exclusion from organic markets but does not alter core constitutional powers or introduce new judicial review mechanisms.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11]
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-24: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- 2026-06-24: Introduced in House
- 2026-06-24: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Organic Imports Verification Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-24 — PDF (6 pages)