H.R. 5818 — Country of Origin Labeling Enforcement Act of 2025

This section expands the country of origin labeling (COOL) requirements of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to include beef—previously excluded from covered commodities—by (1) defining "beef" as meat produced from cattle (including veal) and adding beef muscle cuts and ground beef to the list of covered commodities; (2) applying the existing notice requirements for lamb (e.g., distinguishing U.S.-born/raised/slaughtered beef from imported beef) to beef at retail and food service establishments; (3) increasing enforcement penalties for beef violations to $5,000 per pound of noncompliant beef (from $1,000 per violation generally); and (4) providing that no World Trade Organization or other international ruling may limit USDA's authority to enforce these requirements. (COOL requires retailers and certain food service establishments to label the country of origin for covered commodities, such as muscle cuts and ground products from specified meats and perishable agricultural commodities, at the point of sale.)