Agriculture Department would track processing tomatoes’ origins using chemical fingerprints

The Agriculture Department would maintain a database of chemical fingerprints that help identify where processing tomatoes come from. Any person or organization could request information from the database, and the department would have to provide it promptly. The department could do the work itself or award grants. It would collect domestic and foreign samples as needed to maintain the database.

The Agriculture Department would research testing methods and work with customs officials on using the database for import inspections. Research would support the database, including methods that could improve accuracy or test more kinds of biological material. The department could conduct research itself or award grants. Research grant recipients could keep copies of the data they generate. Within two years after enactment, the department would report to Congress on the database, research results, and recommended actions.