By Jamie Martin
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released an updated guideline aimed at strengthening the substantiation of animal-raising and environment-related claims on meat and poultry product labels. This move is part of an ongoing effort to protect consumers and promote competition in the agricultural sector as mandated by the President's Executive Order.
Secretary Tom Vilsack highlighted the importance of these guidelines in maintaining high standards of transparency and fairness in the market, ensuring that claims such as "Raised Without Antibiotics" and "Grass-Fed" are verifiably truthful.
The guideline encourages the use of third-party certification and more robust documentation to support such claims, enhancing consumer trust in product labeling.
Significant is the focus on negative antibiotic claims, with the USDA recommending routine testing to verify these claims. This follows a revealing study by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, which found discrepancies in meat labeled as "Raised Without Antibiotics."
The updated guidelines, which build on prior versions from 2019, are part of a broader USDA initiative to foster a fair, competitive, and transparent meat industry.
The guidelines will be open for public comment, ensuring stakeholder engagement in shaping effective and equitable food policies. The USDA remains committed to upholding integrity in the food supply chain, benefiting both consumers and producers.
Photo Credit: usda
Categories: National