The Natural Products Association is calling on Governor Gavin Newsom to VETO Assembly Bill 2244, legislation that would establish a new California “Non-Ultraprocessed Certified” program administered by the California Department of Public Health.

NPA supports efforts to improve nutrition, promote transparency, and address diet-related chronic disease. But AB 2244 gets ahead of the science.

FDA and USDA are actively working to develop a uniform federal definition of “ultra-processed food,” acknowledging that there is currently no single authoritative definition for the U.S. food supply. California’s own underlying standards for identifying certain ultra-processed foods are also still being developed.

Despite those unresolved questions, AB 2244 would move forward with an entirely new state certification infrastructure including an official state seal, accredited certification agents, product databases, fees, recurring certification requirements, retailer display obligations, and new enforcement mechanisms.

The result could be greater confusion for consumers, additional costs for manufacturers and retailers, and a California-specific regulatory system that may conflict with the federal standards now being developed.

The science and definitions should come first. Regulation should follow.

Governor Newsom still has an opportunity to prevent California from putting the regulatory cart before the scientific horse.

Please take a moment today to contact Governor Newsom and urge him to VETO AB 2244.