USDA Labeling Requirements
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), through its subsidiary, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), determines how food, including fresh, frozen or preserved, is labeled for consumer use. The USDA oversees labeling for items such as meats, poultry, alcoholic beverages, cotton, fresh fruits and vegetables, processed fruits and vegetables, and dairy products.
Meat and Poultry
The USDA requires that all ingredients in meat and poultry products, including any food additives, be listed on the package label. That way, consumers know clearly what they are buying. The ingredients listed on the product label are listed in order of weight, from the ingredient occurring in the largest amount to the ingredient occurring in the smallest amount. Further, the USDA has strict definitions for terms that we see on meat and poultry products, such as products labeled natural or those that identify themselves as containing no antibiotics.
Organics
The USDA oversees an initiative called the National Organic Program (NOP). The NOP has oversight for what constitutes organic foods and agricultural products in the United States. They also work in conjunction with similar international agencies to assure that imported products labeled as organic truly are organic. For a product to be considered organic, it must meet certain standards. For example, for a product to be labeled 100% organic, it must be wholly organic, with the exception of water and salt, and that product can bear the USDA Organic seal. The USDA, through NOP, also outlines how products made with organic ingredients must be labeled.
Other Labeling Requirements
The USDA includes the Labeling and Program Delivery Division. This group functions as the experts, understanding meat, poultry and egg products. It is part of their job to know and understand safe and suitable ingredients and to ensure that labels are clear and accurate. Their responsibility includes product identification, product claims (such as "hormone free"), product weight, and nutritional information. Contact the USDA FSIS department for specific information about labeling, whether you are a consumer or a food processing business that has products to label.
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