# SAFETY Act of 2025 - Plain Language Summary

## What This Bill Does

The SAFETY Act of 2025 amends existing agricultural trade law to allow American food and beverage producers to use certain traditional or common product names when selling goods in foreign markets. Currently, some countries restrict the use of names like "Parmesan," "Feta," or "Champagne" to products from specific regions (like Europe), even if American producers make similar products. This bill would protect American producers' ability to use widely-recognized common names for their products in international trade.

## Who Benefits and Who Is Affected

**American producers benefit:** U.S. cheese makers, wine producers, beer brewers, and meat processors would gain more freedom to label and market their products internationally using familiar names that consumers recognize. This could expand export opportunities and competitiveness in foreign markets.

**Potential concerns:** European and other international producers who currently have exclusive rights to certain regional names (called "protected designations of origin") may face increased competition. Some countries might view this as a trade violation and could retaliate with their own trade restrictions.

## Key Provisions

The bill creates a detailed list of names considered "common names" that American producers can use, including:
- **Cheeses:** Parmesan, Feta, Gorgonzola, Gruyere, and 20+ others
- **Meats:** Prosciutto, Salami, Bratwurst, Kielbasa, and others
- **Wine:** Specific grape varieties and descriptive terms like "Vintage" and "Tawny"
- **Beer:** Style names like "IPA," "Stout," "Pilsener," and others

The bill specifies these names must align with international food standards and cannot include protected geographic designations (like "Champagne" for wine from France's Champagne region).

SAFETY Act of 2025

Thune, John

Safeguarding American Food and Export Trade Yields Act of 2025 or the SAFETY Act of 2025This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to secure foreign markets for goods using common names.In general, the bill defines common name as a name that (1) is ordinarily or customarily used for an agricultural commodity or food product, (2) is typically placed on the packaging and product label of the agricultural commodity or food product, and (3) the use of which is consistent with standards of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The bill includes a list of names that will be considered common names for (1) food products (e.g., basmati, bratwurst, and parmesan); (2) wine, including grape varietal terms, grape variety designations, and non-varietal descriptors such as chateau and vintage; and (3) beer (e.g., bitter, pale ale, and hefeweizen).Specifically, USDA must coordinate efforts with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to secure the right of U.S. agricultural producers, processors, and exporters to use common names for agricultural commodities or food products in foreign markets. Through the negotiation of bilateral, plurilateral, or multilateral agreements, memoranda of understanding, or exchanges of letters, USDA and the USTR must assure the current and future use of each common name in connection with U.S. agricultural commodities or food products.USDA and the&nbsp;USTR must jointly brief Congress on these efforts on a semi-annual basis.