Axios reports that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released a proposed rule that would significantly toughen its requirements for what products can be labeled as having been Made in the USA.
If the rule is enacted, it would “allow for voluntary ‘Product of USA’ and ‘Made in the USA’ labels on meat, poultry or eggs only when they are ‘derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed’ in the country.”
The story notes that “the existing rules for the labels allow them to be used by companies if the animals were born and raised in another country but processed in the U.S.”
“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,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release. “These proposed changes are intended to provide consumers with accurate information to make informed purchasing decisions.”
KC’s View:
Excellent. Labels should reflect an accurate assessment of what a product is, not a sort-of, reasonably close description.
I hope that as part of toughened rules will be stronger penalties for companies that misrepresent their products. Companies ought to be able to easily provide data based on accurate track-and-trace procedures, on demand when the USDA requires it.
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