Food Donation Act of 2017

Food Donation Act of 2017

This bill amends the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act to expand the liability protections for the donation of food.

The bill expands the liability protections to include donations of an apparently fit grocery product or apparently wholesome food:

• that is mislabeled in a manner that is not related to safety and safety-related labeling standards and regulations;
• meets safety and safety-related labeling standards and regulations but is past the date label;
• for which the recipient is charged a "good Samaritan reduced" price that is no greater than the cost of handling, administering, and distributing the product; or
• that is donated directly to a needy individual by a retail grocer, wholesaler, agricultural producer, restaurant, caterer, school food authority, or institution of higher education.

The Department of Agriculture must: (1) issue regulations with respect to the safety and safety-related labeling standards of apparently wholesome food and an apparently fit grocery product under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, (2) promote awareness of food donation under the Act, and (3) issue guidance with respect to the amendments made by this bill.