Requires any person, firm or corporation offering any dairy product, meat, meat by-product, meat food product or perishable food item for sale in the state to label such product with an expiration date clearly visible in a conspicuous location; provides that such date shall be the time after which such item is unfit for human consumption as determined by industry standards; provides that no such products shall be allowed to remain on display or offered for sale after such date.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7047
SPONSOR: Cook (MS) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to expira-
tion dates on meat, milk, cheese and perishable food items
PURPOSE:
To require open dating of milk, meat and other perishable food products
sold at retail.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
To require any person, firm or corporation offering any dairy product,
meat, meat by-product or at food product or perishable food item for
sale in the State to label such product with an expiration date clearly
visible in a conspicuous location. Such date shall be the time after
which such item is unfit for human consumption as determined by industry
standards. Further provides that no such products shall be allowed to
remain on display or offered for sale after such date.
EXISTING LAW:
The open dating of some food products such as milk and meats is volun-
tary and is not required by federal or State law.
JUSTIFICATION:
Consumers spend a large portion of their incomes on the purchase of
milk, meat and other perishable foods. They have a right to expect that
the dairy, meat and perishable products they purchase are fresh and have
not passed their shelf life when purchased.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
Previously Introduced. A. 5242 23/24 A.4528 21/22 A.8577 2019/20
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have
become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7047
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 20, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. COOK -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COLTON --
read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and
Protection
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to expira-
tion dates on meat, milk, cheese and perishable food items
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding three
2 new sections 50, 96-k and 214-p to read as follows:
3 § 50. Expiration date. Any person, firm or corporation offering any
4 dairy product for sale in this state shall label such product with an
5 expiration date clearly visible in a conspicuous location. Such date
6 shall be the time after which such item is unfit for human consumption
7 as determined by industry standards. No dairy product shall be allowed
8 to remain on display or be offered for sale after such date.
9 § 96-k. Expiration date. Any person, firm or corporation offering any
10 meat, meat by-product or meat food product for sale in this state shall
11 label such product with an expiration date clearly visible in a conspic-
12 uous location. Such date shall be the time after which such item is
13 unfit for human consumption as determined by industry standards. No
14 meat products shall be allowed to remain on display or be offered for
15 sale after such date.
16 § 214-p. Expiration date. Any person, firm or corporation offering any
17 perishable food item, as defined in section seventy-one-y of this chap-
18 ter, for sale in this state shall label such item with an expiration
19 date clearly visible in a conspicuous location. Such date shall be the
20 time after which such item is unfit for human consumption as determined
21 by industry standards. No perishable food item shall be allowed to
22 remain on display or be offered for sale after such date.
23 § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
24 have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09305-01-5
