Labeling Imported Food
Commerce, Countries of Origin, and Fair Trade
The Tariff Act of 1930 requires that “every article of foreign origin … imported into the United States shall be marked in a conspicuous place … to indicate to an ultimate purchaser in the United States the English name of the country of origin of the article.”
For many decades, however, certain products in their “natural” state were exempt from this requirement. These included meats, fruits, vegetables, and nuts. During that time, consumer groups and agricultural interests pushed Congress to end some of these exceptions, arguing that U.S. consumers had a right to know where their food was coming from and, given a choice, would be more likely to purchase domestic products. This in turn would help U.S. farmers and ranchers, they reasoned.
In response, Congress included provisions in the 2002 and 2008 Farm Bills requiring retailers to notify their customers of the country of origin of ground and muscle cuts of beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and goat meat; wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish; “perishable agricultural commodities” (fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables); and peanuts, pecans macadamia nuts, and ginseng. These items are exempted under the laws if they are an ingredient in a processed food. In addition, food service establishments, such as restaurants and bars, are not required to comply.
