This bill mandates that only beef from cattle born, raised, and slaughtered entirely in the United States can be labeled "Product of USA," with an exception for exports.
Mike Rounds
Senator
SD
The USA Beef Act establishes stricter requirements for labeling beef as "Product of USA." This designation will now only apply to beef from cattle that were entirely born, raised, and slaughtered within the United States. This new standard does not apply to beef intended for export outside the U.S.
New 'Product of USA' Beef Label Requires Cattle to Be Born, Raised, and Slaughtered Entirely in the U.S.
The new U.S.A. Beef Act is taking a straight-shot approach to labeling, specifically targeting what the "Product of USA" stamp actually means on the beef you buy at the grocery store. Right now, those labels can be a little fuzzy, but this bill aims to clear that up completely. The core of the bill is simple: if beef or a beef product wants to carry that coveted "Product of USA" label, the cattle must have been born, raised, and slaughtered entirely within the United States.
The Birth-to-Butcher Rule
Think of this as the full-circle requirement for domestic beef. If this bill passes, any steak, ground beef, or roast labeled "Product of USA" must come from an animal that never crossed a border at any stage of its life. This is a big deal for consumers who want certainty that they are buying 100% American-raised meat. For the rancher who runs a cow-calf operation in Kansas, this provides a clear way to differentiate their product from beef that might have been imported as a calf and only finished in the U.S., which is currently allowed under certain labeling rules.
The Export Loophole
Here’s where the policy gets interesting—and potentially confusing. The bill explicitly states that this strict new labeling rule does not apply if the beef is specifically intended to be shipped and sold overseas. In other words, the U.S. is setting a high, clear standard for its own domestic consumers, but it’s relaxing that standard for products heading out of the country.
This carve-out means that processors handling imported cattle components can still label their products without meeting the new stringent rules, as long as that meat is heading for an international market. While this might simplify things for exporters, it creates two different standards for the exact same product, depending on whether it’s sold in a Seattle supermarket or shipped to a Tokyo distributor. For those who process beef, this means they’ll need strict internal tracking systems to ensure only the fully U.S.-sourced beef gets the premium domestic label, while managing a separate supply chain for export-only products. It’s a win for consumer clarity here at home, but it leaves some questions about the overall integrity of the "Product of USA" brand on the global stage.