WASHINGTON — Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) recently reintroduced the USA Beef Act, which looks to limit the use of “Product of USA” beef labels for use only on products sourced from cattle born, raised and slaughtered in the United States.

The legislation would also codify the US Department of Agriculture’s rule addressing the same issue.

“We applaud the USDA taking action to restore integrity to the ‘Product of USA’ label on meat, poultry and egg products,” Rounds said. “This has been a big step forward in consumer transparency and gives our American ranchers the upper hand to compete with lower quality foreign beef that used to falsely bear the same label. My legislation would make these changes permanent and make certain that the rule stays in place for years to come. While this rule is a win, our next priority is delivering Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (MCOOL) for American producers and consumers.”

In March 2023, the USDA proposed a rule requiring “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” to be applied only to meat, poultry, and egg products that are sourced from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the country.

The agency’s rule does not mandate a US company label but creates a voluntary claim for products if the requirements are satisfied. The rule went into effect on May 2024, and all producers are required to comply by the start of 2026.

However, since the rule was issued by an agency, it can be revoked by a future administration. The legislation led by Rounds looks to permanently protect the rule by putting it into law.

The first introduction of the USDA Beef Act was made by Rounds and bipartisan co-sponsors in 2021.

Last week, Rounds was also active with the Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (MCOOL) as part of the farm bill when he sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on the matter.