US Tightens ‘Product of USA’ Meat Labelling Rules
US to Enforce Stricter “Product of USA” Labelling for Meat
The United States will introduce stricter rules on the use of “Product of USA” labelling for meat and poultry from 1 January 2026, following updated guidance from the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
Under the new requirements, meat or poultry products carrying the claim must come from animals that were born, raised, slaughtered and processed entirely within the United States. The move closes long-standing loopholes that allowed imported livestock to be processed domestically and then marketed using US-origin claims.
The guidance also raises the bar for multi-ingredient products. To qualify for “Product of USA” labelling, all meat and poultry ingredients must be of US origin, alongside all other ingredients, with the sole exception of spices and flavourings. This represents a significant tightening of previous interpretations of origin labelling.
Source article: Farmers Hot Line – US to enforce stricter “Product of USA” labelling for meat
18 December 2025