Voluntary Food Climate Labeling Act

Voluntary Food Climate Labeling Act would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create a voluntary program for labeling certain foods with climate-related information. The program is to be developed in consultation with the Agriculture Department (USDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Participation is voluntary and limited to food manufacturers, importers, distributors, or sellers who receive EPA authorization to place the label on a product or its packaging. The label must present two numerical summaries of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) for the food and its inputs, based on approved verification methods that align with international standards (e.g., ISO 14040/14044 and GHG Protocol). A public, open-licensed database and consumer outreach are also mandated. The bill includes voluntary commitments to reduce emissions, a mechanism for enforcement against fraudulent labeling, and periodic reporting to Congress on program effectiveness and potential improvements. In short, it would standardize a voluntary, data-driven climate label at the point of sale to inform consumers and encourage emission reductions, without making labeling mandatory.