What Does "Product of USA" Mean on Meat? The USDA Rule That Took Effect in 2026

If you bought a steak labeled "Product of USA" a few years ago, you might have assumed the cow was born and raised in America. Often it wasn't. Until recently, meat imported from another country could carry that label if it was processed or even just repackaged in a U.S. plant. That changed on January 1, 2026. Here's what the U.S. Department of Agriculture's rule says, and what its own research found about how shoppers read the label.

What does "Product of USA" mean on meat now?

Federal Register, March 18, 2024. USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a final rule on voluntary U.S.-origin claims for the products it regulates: meat, poultry and egg products. It took effect on May 17, 2024, and companies had to comply by January 1, 2026.

Under the rule, the claims "Product of USA" and "Made in the USA" may be used only on products derived from animals that were:

1. Born in the United States,
2. Raised in the United States,
3. Slaughtered in the United States, and
4. Processed in the United States.

For multi-ingredient products, such as sausages or a frozen meal, all ingredients other than spices and flavorings must also be of U.S. origin, and the product must be processed in the U.S. The rule amends FSIS labeling regulations in 9 CFR parts 317, 381 and 412.

What did "Product of USA" mean before 2026?

Under FSIS's earlier policy, a meat or poultry product could be labeled "Product of USA" if it was processed in the U.S., even if the animal was raised and slaughtered in another country. In practice, that meant imported meat that was further processed or repackaged in a U.S. facility could carry a U.S. label. That is the gap the new rule closes.

USDA announced the final rule on March 11, 2024, presenting it as a consumer-protection measure so that the voluntary claim matches what shoppers expect.

What did shoppers think the label meant?

Before writing the rule, FSIS commissioned RTI International to survey 4,834 U.S. adults in July and August 2022. The results showed a big gap between the label and what people assumed:

Online survey of 4,834 U.S. adults, July–August 2022, conducted by RTI International for USDA FSIS.

Source: USDA FSIS, Product of USA Consumer Survey Final Report

View the data

Meaning chosen	Respondents (%)
Born, raised, slaughtered and processed in U.S.	46.6%
Don't know	21.1%
Processed in U.S. only (correct then)	16.1%
Raised, slaughtered and processed	8.7%
Slaughtered and processed	7.6%

• 46.6% thought "Product of USA" meant the animal was born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the U.S., which is what the new rule now requires.
• Only 16.1% picked the meaning that was actually correct at the time: processed in the U.S.
• 21.1% said they didn't know.

The survey also found that people don't always notice the label. When asked to recall it unaided, 24.9% remembered a claim shown with a flag icon, 16.6% one with a border and just 9.2% one in plain text. When shown claims directly, recognition rose to roughly 70–80%, though 15% of a control group "remembered" a claim that wasn't on the package at all.

Do shoppers pay more for U.S.-origin meat?

The survey suggests many would. In a willingness-to-pay experiment, participants placed real value on U.S. origin:

"Product of USA" claimAll steps in U.S. vs. processed only

Stated willingness to pay in a survey experiment, not observed prices. As a share of the base price: 35%, 32% and 43% for the claim; 24%, 37% and 41% for all-U.S. production.

Source: USDA FSIS, Product of USA Consumer Survey Final Report

View the data

Product	"Product of USA" claim ($)	All steps in U.S. ($)
Ground beef	$1.69	$1.15
NY strip steak	$3.21	$3.67
Pork tenderloin	$1.71	$1.65

Between 43% and 48% of respondents said they always or mostly look for the claim when buying meat. Keep in mind these are stated preferences in a survey, not prices observed at the store.

Which meat labels don't tell you where it came from?

Two familiar marks were often misread in the 2022 survey:

• USDA Choice (and other grades) describe quality, not origin. 68% of respondents understood that, but 18% thought it meant a U.S. product.
• The round USDA inspection legend means the product passed federal inspection. 83% got that right, but 11% thought it signaled U.S. origin.

How is this different from the FTC's "Made in USA" rule?

Meat, poultry and eggs fall under USDA. Most other products, from cookware to clothing, fall under the Federal Trade Commission's "Made in USA" standard, which requires that "all or virtually all" of a product be made in the U.S. We explain that rule, and what "Assembled in USA" means, in what "Made in USA" means under the FTC rule. For practical tips that work in any aisle, see how to verify Made in USA products.

How can you shop for U.S.-made food?

Check the claim on meat and poultry packages, and look beyond the butcher case for pantry staples made in American plants:

Red Gold tomatoes are packed in Elwood, Indiana; Texas Pete hot sauce is made in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and Weber's horseradish mustard comes from Buffalo, New York. Browse the full grocery and food categories for more.