WASHINGTON — During the recent National Agriculture Day, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that the USDA would be launching a national public awareness campaign to inform meat, poultry, and egg producers of the “Product of USA” voluntary labeling standard that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2026, and increase consumer understanding of what the label means.
“Our great patriot ranchers and producers grow, raise, and harvest the world’s safest, most affordable, and abundant food supply,” Rollins said in a statement. “American consumers want to support America by buying American and this label will strengthen our food supply chain through transparency, fairness, and trust. 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.”
With this new standard, the “Product of USA” label is reserved exclusively for meat, poultry, and egg products from animals that were born, raised, harvested and processed in the United States, the USDA explained. Companies do not have to use the new label, as it is voluntary, but companies using it must meet this clear and confirmable requirement.
This new standard ends the previous practice that allowed imported products to carry the same label after minimal processing and strengthens consumer confidence by aligning with what Americans expect and demand, USDA added.
“When we choose to purchase from American producers, we get a superior product while supporting the hardworking family farms who put it all on the line every day to feed, clothe, and fuel our nation,” Kelly Loeffler, Small Business Administration administrator, said. “Amid President Trump’s work to end years of unfair competition and eliminate the massive red tape that has crushed domestic agriculture, Made in America is finally making a comeback. On National Agriculture Day, I urge all Americans to join me in support of the hardworking farmers and ranchers who anchor the U.S. food supply chain that is so vital to keeping our nation strong, safe, and healthy.”
Since 2017, the United States has lost more than 17 percent of family farms, and more than 100,000 operations during the last decade, USDA noted.
“America’s farmers and ranchers are key to our national security, sustaining rural communities and keeping our food supply resilient,” Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency administrator, said. “The ‘Product of USA’ label rewards American farmers and ranchers who grow, raise, and process their products in the U.S., while giving consumers confidence they are supporting American agriculture. Together with USDA, the Trump Administration is streamlining processes and delivering solutions that strengthen agricultural productivity, rural prosperity, and the health of our environment.”
For more information about the new label, visit http://productofusa.gov/.
