HB 1031 — Protections for Agricultural Products Grown in Colorado

SecondNOTE: Regular Session Seventy-fifth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO REREVISED This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted in the Second House LLS NO.

26-0221.02This Sarahbill Lozanohas x3858been HOUSEprepared BILLfor 26-1031the HOUSEsignatures SPONSORSHIPof Soperthe andappropriate Martinez,legislative McCluskie,officers McCormick, Bacon, Boesenecker, Bradley, Brooks, Brown, Caldwell, Camacho, Carter, Clifford, Duran, Froelich, Garcia, Garcia Sander, Goldstein,GonzalezR.,Jackson,Joseph,Lieder,Lindsay,Lukens,Marshall,Mauro,Nguyen, Paschal, Phillips, Richardson, Ricks, Rutinel, Slaugh, Smith, Stewart K., Story, Suckla, Titone, Valdez, Winter T., Woodrow, Woog SENATE SPONSORSHIP Roberts and Catlin,the Bridges,Governor. Baisley, Ball, Bright, Coleman, Exum, Frizell, Hinrichsen, Jodeh, Kipp, Kirkmeyer, Liston, Marchman, Pelton B., Pelton R., Simpson, Weissman, Zamora Wilson d d e 6 a 0 T n , N g 81 E i h House Committees Senate Committees S a a Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Agriculture & Natural Resources e M d d d A BILL FOR AN ACT e 2 E a 2 C ONCERNING PROTECTIONS FOR CERTAIN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS A U 7 N g 1 GROWN IN C OLORADO .

STo ddetermine rwhether ethe MGovernor Rhas Billsigned Summarythe 2bill (Note:or taken other action on it, please consult the legislative status sheet, the legislative history, or the Session Laws.

ThisHOUSE summaryBILL applies26-1031 toBYREPRESENTATIVE(S)SoperandMartinez,McCluskie,McCormick, thisBacon,Boesenecker,Bradley,Brooks,Brown,Caldwell,Camacho,Carter, billClifford, asDuran, introducedFroelich, andGarcia, doesGarcia notreflectanyamendmentsthatmaybesubsequentlyadopted.IfthisbillSander, dGoldstein, 6Gonzalez passesR., thirdJackson, readingJoseph, inLieder, theLindsay, houseLukens, ofMarshall, introduction,Mauro, aNguyen, billPaschal, summaryPhillips, thatRichardson, eRicks, 0Rutinel, mSlaugh, 2Smith, appliesStewart toK., theStory, reengrossedSuckla, versionTitone, ofValdez, thisWinter billT., willWoodrow, beWoog; available at S n 6 http://leg.colorado.gov/.) U g y O i a H e r WaterResourcesandAgricultureReviewCommittee.Thebill R e r F prohibits a person from:

3also !SENATOR(S) IdentifyinganagriculturalproductasbeingproducedintheRoberts stateand whenCatlin, selling,Bridges, marketing,Baisley, advertising,Ball, orBright, distributingExum, theFrizell, productHinrichsen, unlessJodeh, theKipp, productKirkmeyer, isListon, grownMarchman, inPelton theB., state;Pelton R., Simpson, Weissman, Zamora Wilson, Coleman.

andC eONCERNINGPROTECTIONSFORCERTAINAGRICULTURALPRODUCTSGROWN nINC 6OLORADO !. Using the Colorado proud designation or logo unless e 0 E a , U U 2 O n a Shading denotes HOUSE amendment.

Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.

H a r Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.e e Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.

d F authorized by the department of agriculture.

A violation of these prohibitions constitutes a deceptive trade practice.

SECTION1.SECTION 1.

Legislativedeclaration.(1)Legislative Thegeneralassemblydeclaration. finds and determines that:

(1) The general assembly finds and determines that:

(b) Given the state's cool nights, warm days, high elevations, and pure________ RockyCapital Mountainletters snowmeltor water,bold Colorado-grown& produceitalic isnumbers sweeter,indicate morenew flavorful,material andadded higherto qualityexisting thanlaw; produce from states or regions without Colorado's geographical and climate advantages;

(c)dashes Coloradansthrough willwords oftenor spendnumbers aindicate premiumdeletions to buy from localexisting farmers,particularlyiftheproduceisbeingmarketedasoneoflaw thestate'sand famoussuch agriculturalmaterial productsis fromnot apart historicof growingthe region,act. including Olathe sweet corn, Palisade peaches, Pueblo chilies, Rocky Ford cantaloupes, and San Luis Valley potatoes;

(d)pureRockyMountainsnowmeltwater,Colorado-grownproduceissweeter, Becausemore Coloradansflavorful, willand oftenhigher spendquality athan premium for agricultural products grown in the state, there has been a trend of counterfeit produce comingfrom intostates Coloradoor whereregions retailerswithout atColorado's stores,geographical farmers'markets,orfarmstandswillmarketoradvertisetheirproduceasand beingclimate grownadvantages; in the state, when the produce is actually grown outside of the state;

and(c) (e)Coloradans Thiswill practiceoften isspend deceptivea premium to consumersbuy andfrom islocal unfairfarmers, toparticularly Coloradoif farmersthe thatproduce growis theirbeing producemarketed inas one of the state.state's famous agricultural products from a historic growing region, including Olathe sweet corn, Palisade peaches, Pueblo chilies, Rocky Ford cantaloupes, and San Luis Valley potatoes;

(2)(d) TheBecauseColoradanswilloftenspendapremiumforagricultural generalproducts assemblygrown thereforein declaresthe that,state, tothere ensurehas consumerbeen protectiona andtrend fairnessof tocounterfeit Coloradoproduce farmerscoming thatinto areColorado sellingwhere -2-retailers 1031at theirproducewithinColorado,itiscriticaltoensurethatthestatehasthestores, legalfarmers' toolsmarkets, necessaryor tofarm protectstands againstwill personsmarket makingor falseadvertise claimstheir thatproduce anas agriculturalbeing product is grown in the state, when itthe produce is actually grown outside of the state.state;

and (e) ThispracticeisdeceptivetoconsumersandisunfairtoColorado farmers that grow their produce in the state.

(2) Thegeneralassemblythereforedeclaresthat,toensureconsumer protection and fairness to Colorado farmers that are selling their produce within Colorado, it is critical to ensure that the state has the legal tools necessarytoprotectagainstpersonsmakingfalseclaimsthatanagricultural product is grown in the state, when it is actuallygrown outside of the state.

ProtectionsforcertainagriculturalproductsgrownProtectionsforcertainagriculturalproductsgrownin inthestate-useofColoradoprouddesignation-deceptivetradepractice the state - use of Colorado proud designation - deceptive trade practice - definition.

(1) A S USED IN THIS SECTI,UNLESSSECTION ,UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE REQUIRES , AGRICULTURAL"AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT "OR" OR "PRODUCT " MEANS A PLANT , FRUIT,VEGETABLEFRUIT, VEGETABLE ,OR FUNGUS THAT IS:IS :

(a) INI A RAW OR UNPROCESSED STATE;STATE ;

(b) SOLD MARKETED,MARKETED ,ADVERTISED ,OR DISTRIBUTED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION ;AND PAGE 2-HOUSE BILL 26-1031 (c) G ROWN USING THE ART AND SCIENCE OF FARMING OR HORTICULTURE OR IN A GREENHOUSE OR CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURAL FACILITY ,AS DEFINED IN SECTIO39-1-102SECTION 39-1-102 (3.3).

(2) A PERSON SHALL NOT IDENTIFY AN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT ASBEINGGROWNINTHESTATEWHENSELLINGAS BEING GROWN IN THE STATE WHEN SELLING ,MARKETING ,ADVERTISING ,,OR OR DISTRIBUTING THE PRODUCT IN THE STATE UNLESS THE PRODUCT IS GROWN IN THE STATESTATE. .

(3) APERSONSHALLNOTUSETHEA COLORADOPROUDDESIGNATIONPERSON ORLOGOESTABLISHEDBYTHEDEPARTMENTORATRADEMARKEDVERSIONSHALL NOT USE THE C OLORADO PROUD DESIGNATION OR LOGO ESTABLISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT OR A TRADEMARKED VERSION OF THE DESIGNATION OR LOGO UNLESS THE USE IS AUTHORIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT .

(4) A VIOLATIONVIOLATIONOFTHISSECTIONCONSTITUTESADECEPTIVETRADE OF THIS SECTION CONSTITUTES A DECEPTIVE -3- 1031 TRADE PRACTICE UNDER SECTION 6-1-105 (1)(qqqq).HIS(1)(qqqq). SECTION DOES NOTPROVIDETHEBASISFOR ,ANDISNOTSUBJECTTO APRIVATERIGHTOF ACTION FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS SECTIO.

THIS SECTION 3.DOES NOT PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR ,AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO ,A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS SECTION .

InSECTION3. Colorado Revised Statutes, 6-1-105, add (1)(qqqq) as follows:

InColoradoRevisedStatutes,6-1-105,add(1)(qqqq) as follows:

(qqqq) V IOLATES SECTION35-1-122.SECTION 35-1-122.

Act subject to petition - effective date - applicability.(1)applicability. Thisacttakeseffectat12:01a.m.onthedayfollowing the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the generalassembly(August12,2026,ifadjournmentsinedieisonMay13, 2026);

except(1) that,This if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3)ofarticleVofthestateconstitutionagainstthisactoranitem,section, or part of this act withintakes such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved bythe people at the12:01 generala.m. election to be held in November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.

(2)on Thisactappliestoconductoccurringonoraftertheapplicablethe effectiveday datefollowing the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August 12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026);exceptthat,ifareferendumpetitionisfiledpursuanttosection1(3) of article V of the state constitution against this act.act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be heldinNovember2026and,insuch case, will take effect on the dateof the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.

-4-PAGE 10313-HOUSE BILL 26-1031 (2) This act applies to conduct occurring on or after the applicable effective date of this act.

____________________________ ____________________________ Julie McCluskie James Rashad Coleman, Sr.

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE ____________________________ ____________________________ Vanessa Reilly Esther van Mourik CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE APPROVED________________________________________ (Date and Time) _________________________________________ Jared S.

Polis GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO PAGE 4-HOUSE BILL 26-1031