The USDA released on Monday proposed requirements to better align the voluntary “Product of USA” label claim with consumer understanding of what it means.
The rule would allow the voluntary “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” label claim to be used on meat, poultry, and egg products only when they are derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the U.S. The increased clarity and transparency provided by this proposed change would prevent consumer confusion and help ensure that consumers understand where their food comes from, according to the USDA.
“American consumers expect that when they buy a meat product at the grocery store, the claims they see on the label mean what they say,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement. “These proposed changes are intended to provide consumers with accurate information to make informed purchasing decisions.”
USDA's proposed rulemaking is supported by petitions, comments from stakeholders, and data. In July 2021, the Department initiated a review to understand what the “Product of USA” claim means to consumers and inform planned rulemaking to define the requirements for making such a claim. The survey revealed that the current labeling claim is misleading to a majority of consumers, with a significant portion believing the claim means that the product was made from animals born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the U.S.
Under the proposed rule, the “Product of USA” label claim would continue to be voluntary. It would also remain eligible for generic label approval, meaning it would not need to be pre-approved by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service before it could be used on a regulated product but would require supporting documentation to be on file for agency inspection personnel to verify.
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