Shontel Brown (D-OH)
Organic Imports Verification Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See all 3 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Organic Imports Verification Act of 2026," requires the Secretary of Agriculture to monitor imported organic feedstuffs. The Secretary must create and update risk-based protocols to determine which bulk-shipped organic feedstuffs need residue testing. Each year, the Secretary is tasked with carrying out this testing and submitting a report to Congress regarding the frequency, methods, results, and actions taken. If testing reveals prohibited substances above permitted levels, those shipments must be excluded from organic sale. This mandate includes both covered organic feedstuffs and other imported organic feedstuffs shipped in bulk with a national organic program import certificate.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +5
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill enhances consumer protection by ensuring the integrity of organic food labels through residue testing.
- Scored +4
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates annual reports to Congress regarding organic residue testing results.
- Scored +4
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill enhances oversight of organic imports to ensure environmental standards are met.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Increased oversight of organic imports: The Secretary of Agriculture is required to develop risk-based protocols to determine which imported organic feedstuffs need testing, including parameters like frequency and type of testing (Section 4(a)).
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Enforcement against prohibited substances: If residue testing shows any detectable prohibited substance above the levels permitted by the national organic program, the shipment must be excluded from organic sale and cannot be sold or labeled as organically produced (Section 4(d)).
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Transparency through Congressional reporting: The Secretary must submit an annual report to Congress that includes the results of residue testing, the standards used, and any actions taken as a result of that testing (Section 3(a) and 3(c)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Lack of public transparency regarding specific feedstuffs: The list of covered organic feedstuffs that the Secretary is responsible for testing shall not be made publicly available (Section 4(b)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates annual reports to Congress regarding organic residue testing results. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill increases federal oversight by mandating new testing and reporting requirements for the Secretary of Agriculture.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill enhances consumer protection by ensuring the integrity of organic food labels through residue testing.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill enhances oversight of organic imports to ensure environmental standards are met.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would farmers be better off under this? — The bill provides greater certainty for organic farmers by verifying the integrity of imported bulk feedstuffs.
- 10/22/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/16/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/30/2026
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.
- 6/24/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Marcy KapturDemocrat · Ohio
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia
Zachary NunnRepublican · Iowa