HHS announces that “Product of USA” labels on food will only be put on American products that are "born here, raised here, harvested here, and processed here – no more loopholes, no more deception."
#usa
That deception started back in 2015 when Barack Obama signed a law repealing the mandatory COOL provisions that required retailers to disclose where animals were born, raised, and slaughtered.
COOL provisions made it harder for foreign companies to deceive American buyers by marketing foreign-raised livestock as American.
#cows
Obama didn't think that protection was necessary, and the transparency vanished for beef and pork.
Imported cattle (often from Canada or Mexico) could be finished or simply slaughtered/processed in U.S. plants and still carry the USA label, undercutting domestic ranchers while misleading consumers who assumed “Product of USA” meant born-and-raised here.
#mexico
Secretary Rollins said,
“This new standard policy ensures producers who invest in a fully American supply chain can compete fairly, and it gives consumers the confidence they deserve about the food they bring home.”
“Our great patriot ranchers and producers grow, raise, and harvest the world’s safest, most affordable, and abundant food supply. American consumers want to support America by buying American, and this label will strengthen our food supply chain through transparency, fairness, and trust.”
Secretary Kennedy added,
“Our farmers and ranchers are essential to putting real food back at the center of the American plate… ‘Product of the USA’ labeling puts American producers first, gives families clear, honest information, and empowers them to choose food raised right here at home.”
Both say it's essential to start protecting US farmers:
🔺️Over 17% of family farms have been lost since 2017, which equals more than 100,000 farms.
🔺️National cattle herds are at a 75-year low.
Consumer beef demand has increased by 9% over the past decade.
🔺️The strengthened voluntary “Product of USA” rule is a major conservative victory for transparency and American ranchers, as it directly fixes the deception that started in 2015.
However, it does not equal full mandatory COOL - and does not repeal Obama's law.
Many rancher groups (including R-CALF USA, Kansas Farmers Union, and Montana COOL Coalition) continue to push Congress and the Trump administration for mandatory labeling, arguing the voluntary rule is a good first step but still allows imported meat to be sold without clear information on where it came from.
#ChristinaAguayoNews