USDA "Product of USA" Labeling Rule

What Changed

On March 11, 2024, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) published a final rule redefining what "Product of USA" and "Made in the USA" mean on meat, poultry, and egg product labels.

Before this rule, any product that passed through a USDA-inspected plant could carry a "Product of USA" label — even if the animal was born, raised, and slaughtered in another country. A steer born in Brazil, raised in Mexico, and processed in Texas could legally be stamped "Product of USA." That loophole is now closed.

The New Standard

Under the final rule, a product may only bear a "Product of USA" or "Made in the USA" claim if it is:

• Derived from an animal born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States
• For processed products: all ingredients of significant quantity must also meet this standard
• The claim is voluntary — but if you make it, it must be truthful and verifiable

No Waivers

The rule is final. There are no waivers, no exemptions, and no grandfather clauses. FSIS eliminated the prior practice of approving vague or misleading origin claims through the label-approval process. If your label says "Product of USA," you must be able to substantiate every link in the chain — from birth to package.

Key Dates

March 11, 2024	Final rule published in Federal Register
January 1, 2026	Compliance date — all labels must conform
Now	Fully in effect. No waivers remain.

What Products Are Covered

• Meat — beef, pork, lamb, goat (FSIS-regulated)
• Poultry — chicken, turkey, duck (FSIS-regulated)
• Egg products — processed/liquid eggs (FSIS-regulated)

Note: Fresh shell eggs, seafood, and non-meat products are regulated by FDA, not FSIS. Separate origin-labeling rules apply. The FTC also enforces "Made in USA" claims for non-food products under the Made in USA Labeling Rule (2021).

Why This Matters for Certification

This rule creates a federal enforcement floor for origin claims. Producers who genuinely raise and process in the United States now have legal protection against misleading claims from competitors who import and repackage.

But the rule is voluntary and self-attested. FSIS doesn't proactively audit every label — they act on complaints and inspections. That's the gap that third-party certification fills:

The law says what the label must mean. Certification proves you actually meet it.

Source

USDA.gov/usa — Official USDA Product of USA information page
FSIS Final Rule — Federal Register, March 11, 2024