The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has finalized a rule for the “Product of USA” label. It is aimed at accurately reflecting where meat, poultry, and egg products originate, to better align with consumer expectations. The “Product of USA” rule mandates that products bearing this label must come from animals born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States.
“Today’s announcement is a vital step toward consumer protection and builds on the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to bolster trust and fairness in the marketplace where smaller processors can compete,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a press release. “This final rule will ensure that when consumers see ‘Product of USA’ they can trust the authenticity of that label and know that every step involved, from birth to processing, was done here in America.”
The regulation closes a loophole that some meatpacking corporations were using to import meat and repackaging in the U.S. with misleading labeling, harming American farmers and deceiving consumers. USDA is encouraging operations that wish to use the label to comply with the new requirements by January 1, 2026, with the rule emphasizing the importance of accurate origin labeling to maintain trust in the food supply chain. The final rule has been supported by a variety of stakeholders that submitted comments and petitions.
“These are long, hard fights that are measured in years — but today’s ‘Product of U.S.A.’ labeling win shows that our efforts were worth it,” said Farm Action co-founder and farmer Joe Maxwell. “The abuse of the ‘Product of U.S.A.’ label stripped America’s cattle producers of a vital opportunity to market their USA beef while denying consumers the opportunity to support them. The ‘Product of U.S.A.’ labeling rule rights that wrong. This is a huge win for America’s farmers, ranchers, and consumers.”
Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West