US HB4485

Establishes an advisory panel appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to study development of a voluntary climate-friendly certification program for agricultural products

Panel membership includes scientists (climate and nutrition experts), environmental advocates, food manufacturers, farmers, and representatives from USDA, EPA, CDC, FDA, and the National Academy of Sciences

Panel must submit a report to Congress within 1 year with recommendations for certification standards measuring life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and land use effects of agricultural products

Imposes a moratorium preventing USDA from issuing any climate-friendly certifications or regulations until the panel's report is submitted to Congress

Modeled after the USDA Organic program, which generated $11.2 billion in sales and supported 17,445 organic farms in 2021