Victory! More Transparent Food Labels

A USDA loophole that ANH-USA fought against has been closed!

Recently, the USDA issued a final rule closing a gaping loophole in the law that allowed foreign meat to carry the “Product of USA” label.

Outrageously, meat that came from animals born, raised, and slaughtered in another country could previously be labeled “Product of USA” if it passed through a US processing plant. The USDA’s final rule closes this loophole, requiring meat that carries the “Product of USA” label to come from animals that were born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the US.

Polls consistently demonstrate that consumers value transparency of food supply chains, they want to know where their food comes from, and they place a higher premium on meat that is locally produced; domestic ranchers also deserve to compete in a fair and transparent marketplace. This loophole undermined both of these key principles, so this reform is an important step forward. We want to thank our advocates who took action on this issue when we raised it in 2018. As we’ve been detailing in our newsletter, our next challenge will be to ensure transparency and safety when it comes to the next generation of genetically engineered (GE) foods, so stay tuned for more updates as we escalate this campaign!