The Department of Agriculture this week finalized a rule related to voluntary labeling claims of ‘Product of the USA.’ USDA’s final ‘Product of the USA’ rule will allow farmers to label meat, poultry, and egg products when they are born, raised, and processed in the United States. RJ Layher, American Farm Bureau Federation Government Affairs Director, talked about the voluntary label.
Layher said Farm Bureau supports the new rule by the USDA.
The announcement was made by Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack during an address at the National Farmers Union’s annual convention. Vilsack said they surveyed consumers to see what the label meant to them.
Under the final rule, the “Product of the USA” or “Made in the USA” label claim will continue to be voluntary. It will also remain eligible for generic label approval, meaning it won’t need to be pre-approved by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service before it can get used on regulated products. However, the establishment would be required to maintain documentation on file to support the claim. Businesses seeking to utilize voluntary labeling must comply with the rule by January 1, 2026.
