The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the release of an updated guideline designed to enhance the documentation supporting animal-raising and environment-related claims on meat and poultry product labels. This action aims to protect consumers from false and misleading labels and supports 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.”
Overview of the Updated Guideline
The updated guideline affects voluntary marketing claims like “Raised Without Antibiotics,” “Grass-Fed,” “Free-Range,” “Raised using Regenerative Agriculture Practices,” and “Climate-Friendly.” These claims describe how animals were raised or how producers manage the land with environmentally sustainable practices. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) reviews the documentation submitted by companies to substantiate these claims before they can be used on meat and poultry labels.
Key Changes in the Updated Guideline:
Encouragement of Third-Party Certification: FSIS strongly encourages using third-party certifications to substantiate animal-raising and environment-related claims. These certifications ensure the claims are truthful and not misleading by having an independent organization verify that standards are met on the farm for both animal raising and environmental stewardship.
Stricter Documentation Requirements: The updated guideline emphasizes the need for more robust documentation for claims related to both environment and animal-raising practices.
Recommendations for Antibiotic Claims: Establishments using "negative" antibiotic claims (e.g., “Raised Without Antibiotics” or “No Antibiotics Ever”) are recommended to implement routine sampling and testing programs to detect antibiotic use in animals prior to slaughter. Alternatively, they can obtain third-party certification that includes testing. This change is based on sampling data, public feedback, and other stakeholder input.
Background on the Update and Recent Study Findings
FSIS's guideline revision follows concerns about the accuracy of negative antibiotic claims. In collaboration with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), FSIS conducted a study to assess these claims, collecting liver and kidney samples from 196 eligible cattle at 84 slaughter establishments across 34 states. The study revealed that approximately 20% of samples tested from the "Raised Without Antibiotics" market contained antibiotic residues.
In response to these findings, FSIS has issued guidance clarifying that it will enforce actions against establishments found to be making false or misleading negative antibiotic claims. Establishments with positive results from the ARS-FSIS study have been advised to conduct root cause analyses and implement corrective actions to prevent future misbranding.
Future Actions and Public Engagement
The USDA and ARS will publish a peer-reviewed paper with complete results from the study soon. These findings may lead to additional testing by FSIS, which has the authority to collect samples if a product is suspected to be mislabeled. FSIS may also consider further actions, including random sampling and rule making, to strengthen the substantiation of animal-raising and environment-related claims.
The updated guideline is available for public comment for 60 days following its publication in the Federal Register. The USDA is committed to continuous engagement with stakeholders to enhance transparency and fairness in the market.
For more information, visit the USDA website at www.usda.gov.
