The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has unveiled an updated guideline aimed at bolstering the credibility of animal-raising and environment-related claims on meat and poultry product labels. This move is part of USDA’s ongoing efforts to protect consumers from misleading labels and aligns with President Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy.
“USDA continues to deliver on its commitment to fairness and choice for both farmers and consumers, and that means supporting transparency and high-quality standards,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “These updates will help to level the playing field for businesses who are truthfully using these claims and ensure people can trust the labels when they purchase meat and poultry products.”
The updated guidelines target voluntary marketing claims such as “Raised Without Antibiotics,” “Grass-Fed,” “Free-Range,” “Raised using Regenerative Agriculture Practices,” and “Climate-Friendly.” These claims are meant to inform consumers about how the animals were raised or how environmental stewardship practices were implemented. However, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) reviews and approves the documentation behind these claims to ensure they are valid and not misleading before they can appear on product labels.
One of the major changes in the updated guideline is a strong recommendation for companies to seek third-party certification for their claims. This move aims to ensure the claims are independently verified, providing consumers with greater assurance that the products they purchase truly meet the standards advertised.
The guideline also emphasizes the need for more comprehensive documentation, particularly for “negative” antibiotic claims such as “Raised Without Antibiotics” or “No Antibiotics Ever.” The FSIS suggests that companies using these claims implement routine sampling and testing programs to detect antibiotic use or seek third-party certification that includes testing protocols.
This revision follows a study by FSIS and USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in response to concerns about the accuracy of negative antibiotic claims. The study involved collecting liver and kidney samples from 196 eligible cattle across 84 slaughter establishments in 34 states. ARS tested these samples for over 180 veterinary drugs, including major classes of antibiotics. Shockingly, the results showed antibiotic residues in approximately 20% of samples from the “Raised Without Antibiotics” market, highlighting the need for more stringent verification processes.
The updated guideline represents a significant step toward ensuring that labels reflect the true practices of meat and poultry producers, offering consumers a clearer and more reliable choice at the supermarket.
