Plain Language Summary
# CURD Act Summary The **CURD Act** (Codifying Useful Regulatory Definitions Act) would establish a federal legal definition for "natural cheese" to clarify food labeling standards. Under the bill, natural cheese would be defined as cheese made from animal milk or certain dairy ingredients following established cheese-making practices, while excluding processed varieties like pasteurized process cheese, cheese foods, and cheese spreads. Any cheese product that doesn't meet this definition but is labeled as "natural cheese" would be considered misbranded and prohibited from sale. This bill primarily affects cheese manufacturers, food producers, and consumers.
Manufacturers would need to ensure their products comply with the statutory definition if they use the "natural cheese" label, while consumers would theoretically have clearer information about what they're purchasing. The bill is currently in committee and has not yet been voted on by the full Senate.
CRS Official Summary
Codifying Useful Regulatory Definitions Act or the CURD ActThis bill establishes a statutory definition for natural cheese. Under the bill, natural cheese is defined as cheese (ripened or unripened soft, semi-soft, or hard) that is produced from animal milk or certain dairy ingredients and is produced in accordance with established cheese-making standards. The definition excludes pasteurized process cheeses, cheese foods, and cheese spreads.A food that does not meet this definition is deemed misbranded and may not be sold if its label includes the term natural cheese as a factual descriptor of a category of cheese.
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.