Those of you who process meat, poultry and eggs will want to take note of this new rule proposed by the Biden Administration.
Earlier this month, federal agriculture officials released new requirements that tighten restrictions around which meat, poultry and eggs can be labelled “Product of USA.” Once the proposal goes into effect, the voluntary “Product of USA” label will only be allowed on meat product from animals that are “born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States.”
Previously, the label could be used on products from animals slaughtered in the U.S. – even if imported from a foreign country – as well as on meat that was imported and then processed or repackaged.
The rationale behind this update is to more closely align the labels with customer expectations about the meaning of “Product of the U.S.A.” It will also benefit small, domestic operations by more clearly differentiating the products from their more expensive operation from imported product.
The proposal is open for public comment currently.
Read a summary from the Associated Press here.
See the full draft of the proposal from the Department of Agriculture here.
We know this requirement may complicate labeling choices for those of you who process products from various sources. ParityFactory’s WMS & MES makes it easier to trace the origins of your meat, poultry and eggs for accurate labeling.
Have questions about staying in compliance? Reach out!
