food; mRNA prohibition; labeling

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide information about the effectiveness of detailed labeling requirements, so this claim was removed.

Food Labeling and mRNA Prohibition Act

HB2334 bans the use of mRNA vaccines in food products sold in Arizona and requires detailed labeling for certain foods.

What This Bill Does

• Bans any article of food, including livestock, poultry, produce, or prepared food, from containing an mRNA vaccine if offered for retail sale in Arizona.
• Requires manufacturers, packagers, and retailers to label food packages with the country of origin and list countries that have altered the food product.
• For organic produce, requires producers and packagers to include on labels the names of sprays and coatings used. If sold unpackaged, retailers must provide signage with this information.
• Requires livestock and poultry products to display vaccination and medication details on their packaging.

Who It Names or Affects

• Food manufacturers, packagers, and retailers in Arizona
• Consumers buying food products in Arizona

Terms To Know

mRNA vaccine

A type of vaccine that uses messenger ribonucleic acid to instruct cells to produce proteins for an immune response.

Produce

Any harvested part of a fruit or vegetable intended for raw consumption, such as mushrooms, sprouts, tree nuts, and herbs.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify penalties for non-compliance.
• It is unclear how the ban on mRNA vaccines in food will be enforced.

Official Summary Text

HB2334 - 572R - House Bill Summary

ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th
Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

HB
2334
: food; mRNA prohibition; labeling

Sponsor:
Representative Heap, LD 10

Committee
on Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Overview

Prohibits
the inclusion of a
messenger
ribonucleic acid
(mRNA) vaccine in any article of food offered for sale
and outlines labeling requirements for articles of food.

History

mRNA is a macromolecule found in all living cells. Cells use
RNA for many functions, including protein production. mRNA conveys
protein-encoding information stored in the cell's DNA to the protein production
machinery of the cell. Enzymes called RNA polymerases transcribe the DNA
sequence into an mRNA sequence. Then, ribosomes produce specific proteins by
linking amino acids in the order directed by the mRNA sequence, in a process
referred to as translation. The COVID-19 mRNA vaccines represent the first Food
and Drug Administration-approved uses of mRNA-based technology (
U.S. Congress
ional Research Service
).

Produce
means any harvested part of a fruit or vegetable
that is consumed raw, including mushrooms, sprouts, tree nuts and herbs, and
that is subject to federal produce safety rule requirements. Food grains and
seeds of arable crops are not defined as produce (
A.R.S. � 3-525
).

Livestock
means cattle, equine, sheep, goats and swine,
except feral pigs.

Poultry
means any domesticated bird, whether live or
dead, including chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guineas, ratites and squabs (
A.R.S. � 3-1201
).

Provisions

1.

Prohibits
any article of food offered for retail sale from including any article that has
been implanted with or received a mRNA vaccine. (Sec. 1)

2.

Requires the
manufacturer, packager or retailer of each article of food offered for retail
sale to place a label on the food product's packaging including:

a.

the name of
the country from which each article of the food product originated;

b.

a listing of
each country that has altered the food product; and

c.

vaccination
and medication information, for livestock and poultry. (Sec. 1)

3.

Directs a
producer or packager selling produce labeled as organic to include on the label
the name of each spray and coating applied to the produce. (Sec. 1)

4.

�
Instructs the retailer, for
organic produce sold without a package, to

provide
signage for each type of produce that includes the name of each spray and
coating applied. (Sec. 1)

5.

Makes this

legislation effective on January 1, 2027. (Sec. 2)

6.

7.

8.

---------- DOCUMENT
FOOTER ---------

9.

Initials CW/RS��������������� HB
2334

10.

2/12/2026� Page 0 Land,
Agriculture & Rural Affairs

11.

12.

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FOOTER ---------

Current Bill Text

HB2334 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
food; mRNA prohibition; labeling

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2334

Introduced by

Representatives
Heap: Fink

AN
ACT

Amending title 36, chapter 8, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding sections 36-917 and 36-918;
relating to food control.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 36, chapter 8, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding sections 36-917 and 36-918,
to read:

START_STATUTE
36-917.

Food articles; messenger ribonucleic acid; prohibition;
definitions

A. any article of Food, including
livestock, poultry and produce, or prepared food that is offered for retail
sale in this state may not include any article that has been implanted with or
received a messenger ribonucleic acid vaccine.

B. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Livestock" has the same
meaning prescribed in section 3-1201.

2. "Poultry" has the same
meaning prescribed in section 3-1201.

3. "Produce" has the same
meaning prescribed in section 3-525.
END_STATUTE

START_STATUTE
36-918.

Labeling; country of origin; vaccination and medication
information; signage; definitions

A. The manufacturer, packager or
retailer of each article of Food, including livestock, poultry and produce, or
prepared food that is offered for retail sale in this state shall place a label
on the food product's packaging that includes:

1. The name of the country in which
each article of the food product originated.

2. A listing of each country that has
altered the food product.

3. For livestock and poultry,
vaccination and medication information.

B. Notwithstanding any other law, the
producer or packager of all produce for sale in this state that is labeled as
"organic" shall include on the label the name of each spray and
coating that is applied to the produce. If the organic produce is
sold without a package, the retailer shall provide signage for each type of
produce that includes the name of each spray and coating that is applied to the
produce.

C. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Livestock" has the same
meaning prescribed in section 3-1201.

2. "Poultry" has the same
meaning prescribed in section 3-1201.

3. "Produce" has the same
meaning prescribed in section 3-525.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 2.
Effective date

This act is effective from and after
December 31, 2026.