The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced a final rule on conditions for the voluntary use of “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” labels for meat, poultry, and egg products. According to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the rule, effective in 2026, mandates that these labels can only be applied when products are derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States.
While Vilsack views this as a measure to ensure transparency for consumers, Canada’s Agriculture Minister, Lawrence MacAulay, and International Trade Minister Mary Ng express disappointment, citing the rule’s apparent oversight of the unique trading relationship between the two countries. They plan to raise their concerns during an upcoming trilateral meeting with the United States and Mexico.
This rule marks a significant departure from current policy, which permits the voluntary use of such labels on products from animals imported from abroad and slaughtered in the U.S., as well as on imported and repackaged or further processed meat.
Vilsack lauds the rule as a step toward consumer protection and fairness in the marketplace, highlighting support from petitions, stakeholder comments, and consumer surveys. However, Canada is reviewing the rule cautiously, emphasizing the importance of the integrated North American meat and livestock supply chains and expressing concerns about potential disruptions.
The Canadian Cattle Association voices strong opposition, calling the rule “the most onerous standard in the world” and warning of potential discrimination against live cattle imports and disruption of the North American supply chain integration.
It’s important to note that these voluntary labeling rules differ from country-of-origin labels (COOL), which were repealed in 2015 due to international trade disputes and a ruling from the World Trade Organization. COOL required companies to disclose the origin of animals supplying beef and pork.
