“Product of USA” Label Rule Now in Effect - What It Means for Meat, Poultry & Egg Products

As of January 1, 2026, the USDA’s final rule restricting the voluntary use of “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” claims is now active. The rule, finalized in March 2024 and announced by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack at the National Farmers Union Annual Convention in Phoenix, now requires that meat, poultry, and egg products using the claim must be derived from animals that were born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States.

For multi-ingredient products, all FSIS-regulated components must meet this standard, and all other ingredients (excluding spices and flavorings) must also be of U.S. origin to use the claim. USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) published additional guidance in December 2025, clarifying documentation requirements and claim formats.

The USDA’s press release called the rule “a vital step toward consumer protection,” aiming to eliminate misleading claims while supporting small- and mid-size processors through programs like the Local Meat Capacity (Local MCap) grant.

Why It Matters

For teams working in product development, labeling, and regulatory compliance, this change means:

• Stricter sourcing transparency is now required to use U.S.-origin claims
• Label claim documentation must be maintained (even if USDA pre-approval is not required)
• Cross-border suppliers and co-manufacturers must be re-evaluated for compliance

Need to update your workflow?

ENTR makes it easy to flag origin-based label claims, update documentation, and ensure compliance across your product portfolio.