Bipartisan Coalition of Senators and House Members Introduce Bill to Define List of Common Names for Ag Commodities

Wednesday, May 24th, 2023 -- 8:00 AM

(Wisconsin Ag Connection) A bipartisan coalition of Senators and House members on Wednesday introduced a bill to define a list of common names for ag commodities, food products, and terms used in marketing and packaging of products that originated in Europe and that the European Union has said should only be used when the products come from certain places in Europe.

According to the Wisconsin Ag Connection, the practice of limiting the use of names is known as “geographic indicators.” The bill would also direct the agriculture secretary and the U.S. trade representative to negotiate with foreign trading partners to defend the right to use common names for ag commodities in those same foreign markets.

The bill was introduced by Reps. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D.; Jim Costa, D-Calif.; Michelle Fischbach, R-Minn.; and Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif.; and Sens. John Thune, R-S.D.; Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.; Roger Marshall, R-Kan.; and Tina Smith, D-Minn.

The Safeguarding American Value-Added Exports (SAVE) Act would amend the Agriculture Trade Act of 1978. The bill text does not name specific products, but directs the Agriculture Department to develop a list.

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