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Dive Briefing:
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture released new guidance last week encouraging meat producers to provide more documentation to verify animal husbandry and environmental labeling claims such as “no antibiotics” or “raised with regenerative farming practices.”
- The revised guidance from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends that producers use third-party verification to substantiate claims about animal or environmental management. According to the guidance, claims about antibiotic use must also be supported by a regular sampling and testing program.
- The USDA said in a news release that the guidance sends a clear signal to producers that “enforcement action will be taken against any facility found to be making false or misleading negative antibiotic claims.”
Dive Insight:
USDA has raised concerns about the truthfulness of label claims, particularly with regard to antibiotic use. A recent FSIS study found antibiotic residues in about 20 percent of meat samples tested that were labeled “raised without antibiotics.”
USDA has advised companies to avoid misbranding their products in the future, but the agency is taking broader steps to strengthen guidelines on a wide range of claims, from antibiotic use to sustainability practices. Producers are encouraged to use third-party verification, as well as include the certifying agency’s name, logo, and website address on consumer packaging.
“This update will help level the playing field for companies that use these claims truthfully and ensure people can trust labels when purchasing meat and poultry products,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.
Meat producers’ sustainability claims are increasingly under scrutiny from consumers and lawmakers alike. Earlier this year, JBS was sued by the New York attorney general for “greenwashing” and exaggerating climate claims in its advertising.
FSIS is responsible for inspecting slaughterhouses and processing facilities, but has no authority to verify practices on farms. As a result, regulators rely heavily on documentation and third-party certification to verify animal and environmental management claims.
“USDA authority doesn’t go all the way back to the farm,” Sandra Eskin, deputy assistant secretary for food safety, told USDA Radio. “We can’t determine if a product is actually ‘grass-fed’ or ‘free-range,’ so we have to utilize these certifying agencies that have standards and have systems in place to ensure that the standards are right.”
The new guidelines specifically refuse to get into the debate over what truly defines “free-range” or “pasture-raised” claims, saying codifying such terms could stifle innovation and allow no flexibility as consumer expectations about humane practices change.
Chicken producers are encouraged to provide additional documentation to support each claim, in addition to relying on third-party verification as required by the rule. FSIS stated that the amount of documentation required may vary depending on the claim and circumstances.
