By Brandi Buzzard on March 20, 2024
Traceability and Transparency in USA Products
The USDA "Product of the USA" label explained by a Kansas cattle rancher
I’m a loud proponent of transparency, which is why I don’t shirk from sharing the messy, sad moments of ranch life right alongside the feel-good, beautiful moments. Today is a feel-good, exciting development day for both beef producers and beef consumers.
Last week, the United States Department of Agriculture finalized a rule that provides transparency and confidence behind the food you buy at the grocery store. This new rule, called the “Product of the USA” rule, allows a voluntary label “Product of the USA” or “Made in the USA” label to be used on meat, poultry and egg products only in the case when they are derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States.
Currently, products including meat, poultry and eggs can be born and raised in another country but if they are imported to the U.S. and processed here, those products may be labeled with the Product of USA label. Often called a “loophole,” that aspect will change on Jan. 1, 2026, providing clearer traceability for the food on our grocery shelves.
This is a voluntary label but as such still requires the processing establishment to maintain documentation to file the claim for labeling of products. In short, if you see a label on meat, poultry or egg products that says “Product of the USA” in 2026, you can be assured that food originated and was processed here in our country.
Now, I’ve told you all this in the hopes you will remain confident in our food supply, and I understand learning about the “loophole” may cause you some discomfort. That is purely unintentional. However, I feel it’s tremendously important to remember that all meat, poultry and egg products sold in a grocery store are inspected and approved by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which is not owned by any food or animal companies.
The FSIS is one pillar of a national system of science-based food safety protections. Through a variety of acts such as the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Inspection Act and the Egg Products Inspection Act, FSIS ensures food safety for our consumer base. Additionally, the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act ensures animals are subjected to humane animal handling during the slaughter process for the safety and quality of our food and the overall well-being of the livestock that provide protein options.
There will likely be critics of this new voluntary “Product of the USA” labeling act – we can’t please everyone. But as a cattle rancher, I am happy to see another level of transparency and confidence being implemented for us as consumers. I hope your confidence in our food supply remains steadfast and if you have questions about where your food comes from – even outside of beef – you will reach out and ask. I may not have all the answers, but I will certainly find out or point you in the right direction!
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY READING:
