American livestock breeders have long requested clarification of the regulations but regret that it will remain a voluntary scheme. President Biden has previously said he wants to curb the power of the five major meat giants on the US market.
Currently, labeling rules allow imported beef to be labeled “Made in the USA” if it has undergone only minor processing in a US meat plant, such as trimming or repackaging. This has been possible in the US since 2015, when the mandatory country-of-origin labeling on every product was removed, following a trade dispute with Canada and Mexico.
Supermarket shelves in the US contain much Mexican, Brazilian, and Argentine beef from cattle that were not born, raised, and slaughtered there, but merely repackaged in cans. “American consumers expect that when they buy a meat product in the supermarket, the claims they see on the label mean what they say,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement.
Earlier research showed that nearly two-thirds of Americans mistakenly believe that all production steps must already occur in the US before manufacturers may use the label. The USDA study also found that consumers are willing to pay more for meat products bearing the claim “Product of the USA.”
Justin Tuppe, chairman of the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, responded: “Consumers have the right to know where their food comes from, full stop.”
Secretary Vilsack said the proposal will ensure that labeling requirements align more accurately with consumer expectations and close a loophole that undermines distinguishing local meat in the market.
However, part of the industry remains skeptical about the proposed labeling. “Simply adding a few words to a voluntary label does not add value for livestock farmers. We cannot afford to replace a flawed government label with another flawed government label,” was stated.