H.R. 1394 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Feb 14, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summarySets legal definition for natural cheese
Ever wondered what makes cheese actually "natural" versus processed. This bill creates an official definition for natural cheese, covering ripened and unripened soft, semi-soft, or hard cheeses made from animal milk or certain dairy ingredients following traditional cheese-making standards. The definition excludes pasteurized process cheeses, cheese foods, and cheese spreads. Foods that don't meet this definition can't be labeled as natural cheese.
How it affects you
If you buy cheese, this means labels claiming "natural cheese" will follow a consistent legal standard, so you know what you're getting. Cheese makers and food companies that produce or sell cheese products will need to follow these rules when labeling their products for sale.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Feb 14, 2025)
Codifying Useful Regulatory Definitions Act or the CURD Act
This 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.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 1394
A BILL
CURD Act
Sponsor: Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI-1) · Introduced Feb 14, 2025 · Health · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Feb 14, 2025: “Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.”