NFU calls for improved meat labelling standards

The US’ National Farmers Union (NFU) has urged the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to strengthen meat labelling standards for the sake of the country’s farmers and consumers.

NFU noted that the pork and beef products processed in the country are legally labelled as a ‘Product of the USA’, even though some of them are born, raised, and slaughtered in another country.

The organisation said that the labelling misleads consumers and puts American ranchers at a disadvantage.

NFU President Rob Larew said: “American consumers want to know where their food comes from – and farmers want to tell them. When mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) was the law of the land, it was easy to determine where the meat had been born, raised, and processed, to the benefit of both parties.

“But since it was unjustifiably reversed five years ago and replaced with these deceptive ‘Product of the USA’ labels, it’s become nearly impossible for consumers to determine the origin of the meat they’re eating or for ranchers to differentiate their products.”

NFU said that it supports FTC’s rule, which would strengthen voluntary US origin claims on labels and penalise those who incorrectly label products.

The organisation submitted comments to FTC, and Larew urged the federal agency to swiftly finalise the rule and ‘vigorously enforce it’.

Larew added: “By enforcing existing guidance on US-origin claims on labels and penalising those who mislabel consumer goods, the FTC’s proposed rule would help deter misleading claims on imported meat.

“We urge FTC to finalise and enforce this rule; FSIS should then follow suit by amending its meat labelling standards to reflect FTC’s recommendation that all or virtually all ingredients in a product must be made and sourced in the US in order to carry a label that indicates it was ‘Made in the USA.’”