Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) today welcomed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s national awareness campaign to promote the updated “Product of USA” label for meat, poultry, and processed egg products.
Under USDA’s strengthened standard, the “Product of USA” label may appear only on products from animals that were born, raised, harvested, and processed in the United States. This closes long‑standing loopholes that allowed foreign product to be labeled in ways that misled consumers about where their food came from.
“The updated ‘Product of USA’ label finally means what folks always assumed other inspection labels meant—that the animal was born, raised, harvested, and processed here at home,” said USCA President Justin Tupper. “We look forward to partnering with USDA on this effort and ensuring consumers across the country understand exactly what this label means. While USCA will continue to push for mandatory labeling, this voluntary label will work to restore trust in labels that consumers rely on every day.”
USCA has championed truthful origin labeling for years, working closely with USDA and other stakeholders to ensure that labels match consumer expectations and acknowledge U.S. producers for their superior product.
“The first step to bridging the gap between U.S. producers and their customers is making sure people understand what labels mean,” Tupper added. “When consumers see ‘Product of USA,’ they deserve the confidence knowing that they are buying food that was raised and processed right here in the U.S. It’s a clear, common-sense standard that celebrates each farmer and rancher that is behind a “Product of USA” label.”
To help educate consumers and support producers who choose to use the label, USDA is launching a national awareness campaign, while includes a social media toolkit with sample messages, customizable posts, graphics, and guidance on accurate use of the mark. The toolkit encourages producers and partners to create posts, short videos, and other content that explain the meaning of the label and highlight the people and practices behind it. The campaign can be found here: ProductofUSA.gov
USCA is encouraging cattle producers, allied industry partners, retailers, and consumer advocates to:
- Review USDA’s criteria for the “Product of USA” voluntary claim and confirm eligibility before using the label.
- Maintain the documentation needed to substantiate origin claims.
- Use USDA’s official graphics and messaging to ensure consistency and clarity for consumers.
- Share original content—photos, short videos, testimonials—showcasing the story behind “Product of USA” beef and other livestock products.
“This campaign is about rebuilding and earning trust,” Tupper said. “When consumers can quickly identify products that are truly made here at home, everybody wins—families, rural communities, and the entire U.S. cattle industry.”
