What's happening
This bill establishes new requirements for advertising and labeling food as "local" in New York, defining when such terms can be used.
Why it matters
Clarifies what "local" means for food labeling. , requiring that food must be grown, raised, or have its essential components sourced in New York—or meet a legal New York designation—to be advertised as "local," reducing consumer confusion and misleading marketing.
Mandates clear disclosure for out-of-state "local" claims. , so if a product or its key ingredients come from outside New York, the specific state, region, or distance must be displayed as prominently as the "local" label, ensuring buyers know the true origin.
Empowers state oversight and rulemaking. , giving the commissioner authority to issue further regulations and guidance, which can help standardize enforcement and adapt to evolving food industry practices.
Provides a transition period for businesses. , giving retailers time to sell existing inventory and adapt labeling practices, balancing consumer protection with practical implementation for food sellers.
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Who cares
Food retailers
The bill would restrict knowing retail sales of food advertised or labeled as local unless it meets New York sourcing criteria or carries qualifying origin disclosures, with 90 days after the effective date to sell through existing inventory.
New York farmers and food producers
The bill would tie local claims to New York origins, essential components sourced in the state or products legally defined as New York labeled, manufactured or produced.
Out-of-state food producers
Their products could still be marketed as local with an adjacent, same-size disclosure identifying the state, region or distance from New York’s border where the product or its essential components originated.
Department of Agriculture and Markets
The commissioner would be authorized to develop rules and regulations guiding businesses that sell retail food products under these requirements.
Headline styles
Truth in Local Food Labels
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
23 Co-sponsors
- Anthony D'Urso
- Tremaine Wright
- Albert A. Stirpe
- Deborah Glick
- Richard Gottfried
- Donna Lupardo
- Nader Sayegh
- Jaime R. Williams
- Carmen E. Arroyo
- David DiPietro
- Robert Smullen
- Joseph Giglio
- Brian D. Miller
- Judy Griffin
- Didi Barrett
- Marianne Buttenschon
- John T. McDonald III
- Karen McMahon
- Phil Steck
- Jake Ashby
- Patricia Fahy
- Billy Jones
- Philip Ramos
5 Multi-sponsors
History
- Substituted by S3829
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.324
- Rules report cal.324
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Reported referred to codes
- Referred to agriculture
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Label Local Food Honestly
Vetoed · Sponsor Jen Metzger
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1460
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 15, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. WOERNER -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CAHILL, DiPIETRO, D'URSO, GIGLIO, GLICK, GOTTFRIED, HAWLEY, LUPARDO, RA, STIRPE, THIELE, WRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to advertising and labeling of locally produced food
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new section 211 to read as follows:
§ 211. Advertising and labeling of locally produced foods. 1. For purposes of this section "retail food product" shall mean articles of food, drink, confectionary or condiment, whether simple, mixed or compound, including all substances or ingredients added to food for any purpose, intended for human consumption.
2. No person, corporation, partnership or limited liability company shall knowingly sell or offer for sale at retail any retail food product advertised or labeled as "local", "locally grown", "locally produced", "locally sourced" or any substantially similar term, unless such food product: (i) is grown, raised, or harvested in New York state; or (ii) its components that are essential to such product's identity are grown, raised, harvested or produced in New York state; or (iii) is defined in law as New York state labelled, manufactured, or produced.
3. A retail food product may also be advertised or labeled as local if it was grown, raised, harvested or produced outside of New York state, or contains essential components not sourced in New York, if it has additional descriptive language identifying the state or region or distance from the border of New York state where such product or its components that are essential to such product's identity are grown, raised, harvested or produced displayed adjacent to and in the same size
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01242-01-9
A. 1460 2
font as the term or terms indicating it is local in such advertising or labeling.
4. The commissioner is hereby authorized to develop rules and regulations to provide guidance to businesses selling retail food products pursuant to this section.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law, provided that any rule or regulation necessary for the timely implementation of this act on its effective date may be promulgated on or before such date, provided further however that retailers shall have ninety days from the effective date of this act to sell through product subject to the provisions of this act which is held in inventory on the effective date of this act.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.