On August 9, UFCW International President Marc Perrone issued a statement after submitting comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in support of a petition to change “Product of the U.S.A.” policy.
The Organization for Competitive Markets and American Grassfed Association’s Petition to Change the Food Safety and Inspection Services Standards and Labeling Policy Book on “Product of U.S.A.” (FSIS-2018-0024) would revise “Product of the U.S.A.” label requirements so that it is limited only to domestically born, raised, slaughtered and processed meat. Currently, meat that is imported from other countries but further processed in the U.S. receives the “Product of the U.S.A.” label.
Perrone’s statement reads as follows:
“Allowing meat that comes from outside our country to be sold as a U.S. product is misleading, unsafe and wrong. American consumers deserve to know where their meat comes from.
“Updating current labeling requirements will not only bring families more certainty about the meat they are serving or eating, it will create and protect sustainable jobs for hard-working communities across the country.
“Our union family strongly supports this petition and encourages the USDA to do the same.”