The value of labeling food products as to their country of origin has been debated for some time, with some supporters saying it will bolster demand for U.S. products and will provide consumers with helpful information they need to make purchasing decisions. Opponents say the requirements are protectionist and do not really provide consumers with useful information on the safety of those products. Regardless of the pros and cons, country-of-origin is now law, and consumers will be seeing more products in the marketplace labeled with this information.
Country-of-origin labeling for various products was required by the 2002 and 2008 Farm Bills, but not all provisions have been implemented. Labeling of wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish has been visible in grocery stores since 2004, but labeling provisions for other commodities were either delayed or recently added by the 2008 Farm Bill.
As of September 30, 2008, the following products are now covered; beef, lamb, pork, fish, chicken, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, peanuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, and ginseng. For those products now being labeled (everything except wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish), USDA has indicated it will conduct education and outreach activities for six months to give retailers time to adjust to the requirements. The information about origin can be conveyed through a variety of ways, including labels, signs, placards, and stickers. Labels could indicate that a product is of U.S. origin, has multiple countries of origin, or is from one foreign country.
Exemptions to the requirements have been set by implementing regulations. For example, while consumers will see labeling at grocery stores, foodservice establishments such as restaurants, lunchrooms, cafeterias, and food stands are exempt from the requirements.
In addition, processed foods (including cooked and cured) such as corned beef, chicken tenders, and roasted peanuts will not have to carry labeling. Also exempt are “blended” products that contain two or more covered commodities. An example would be a salad mix that contains lettuce and carrots.
Consumers may see some foods that are labeled even though they are not covered by the regulations to carry a label, since voluntary country-of-origin labeling is permitted as long as it is truthful.
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has set specific criteria that must be met for the various labeling options. For more information, visit the AMS web site at www.ams.usda.gov.
