On March 18, 2024, the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a notice revising the requirements for meat, poultry and egg product labeling and voluntary labeling declarations of origin, which companies can voluntarily include on the labels of meat, poultry and egg products. The specific contents are as follows:

(1) Allow the use of two U.S. origin voluntary labeling claims, "Product of the United States" and "Made in the United States," when: single-ingredient FSIS regulated products from animals born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States; All FSIS regulated products in multi-ingredient products are derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States; All other ingredients except spices and seasonings are sourced from the United States; The preparation and processing steps of the multi-component product take place in the United States;

(2) FSIS regulates the preparation or processing of products originating in the United States, allowing voluntary labeling claims other than "Product of the United States" and "Made in the United States";

(3) Allow the use of voluntary labeling statements to specify the U.S. state, region, or region of origin of FSIS regulated products or product ingredients;

(4) A label displaying the flag of the United States or the flag of a United States state or territory on the product will be deemed to use a voluntary declaration of origin of the United States or the corresponding United States state or territory;

(5) Require businesses that choose to use a U.S. origin declaration on the label of a FSIS regulated product to maintain documentation sufficient to demonstrate that the product meets regulatory standards for the use of the declaration as required by the regulation.

The regulation will take effect on January 1, 2026.

Learn more: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/fsis-notice/09-24