Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that food processors will be able to put “Product of USA” only on packages of meat, poultry, and egg products if the animals were born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States.
Until now, the labels could be pasted on foreign meat that was processed in America.
The new rule will take effect in 60 days, with compliance mandatory on Jan. 1, 2026. Valsack said there is an extended period of time before formal implementation.
Farm Action, a group that advocates “bold solutions to stop corporate monopolies” and “fair competition in rural America,” said the new labeling rule was “a major win.”
“For years, global corporations have cheated American farmers and deceived consumers by bringing meat in the United States and repackaging it with a “Product of USA” label,” said Farm Action. “This criminal practice ends today.”
The proposed rule was in question at least a year ago because the USDA said it might violate trade rules. Congress repealed mandatory country-of-origin labels for meat in late 2015 after the WTO twice ruled in favor of Canada and Mexico that labels were a trade barrier in disguise against imported livestock.
The final rule will amend FSIS labeling regulations at 9 CFR part 317, Labeling, Marking devices, and Containers; 9 CFR part 381, Poultry Products Inspection Regulations; and 9 CFR part 412, Label Approval.
Under the final rule, two specific voluntary U.S.-origin label claims, “Product of USA” and “Made in the USA” (referred to in the proposed rule as “authorized claims” (88 FR 15290)), will be generically approved1 for use on single ingredient FSIS-regulated products (i.e., products produced under FSIS mandatory or voluntary inspection services) derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States.
The two voluntary label claims “Product of USA” and “Made in the USA” will also be generically approved for use on multi-ingredient FSIS-regulated products if all FSISregulated products in the multi-ingredient product are derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States; all other ingredients, other than spices that are generically approved under the FSIS regulations may be used in commerce without prior submission to the Agency for approval.
Products must bear all required labeling features and comply with the Agency’s labeling regulations to be eligible for generic approval (9 CFR 412.2(a)(1)).
Current FSIS regulations allow all geographic and country of origin claims on labels of FSIS-regulated products to be generically approved (9 CFR 412.2(b)).
Also consistent with the proposed rule, label claims other than “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” that indicate that a preparation or processing step of a FSIS-regulated product is of U.S. origin (referred to in the proposed rule as “qualified claims” (88 FR 15290, 15291) will be generically approved for use, but such claims will need to include the preparation and processing steps (including slaughter) that occurred in the United States upon which the claim is made.