Customers looking to confirm the origin of their meat, eggs, and poultry as “Made in the USA” will likely have an easier time once an official federal law is implemented.

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture unveiled updated guidelines for meat and egg producers who use the optional labels of “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” on their merchandise.

As per the updated regulation, labeling can only be applied to items made from animals that were born, raised, and processed in the United States. This rule will be enforced on January 1, 2026, but producers are advised to comply as soon as possible.

Around 12% of meat, poultry, and eggs consumed in the U.S. have voluntary labels.

In the past, businesses were allowed to use “Product of the USA” labels on animal-based goods, even if they were imported from another country. This includes around 12% of the United States’ beef that is brought in from regions such as Australia, Canada, and Brazil.

Certain American ranchers and organizations, such as the American Grassfed Association, pushed for stricter enforcement of the regulation.

The Biden administration acknowledged that the previous regulation did not reflect the opinions of customers. A 2022 study conducted by the Department of Agriculture revealed that approximately two-thirds of consumers interpreted “Product of the USA” labels as indicating that the majority or all stages of meat production took place in the United States.

The department reported that a majority of the 3,363 comments it received regarding the proposed new rule were in favor of the modification.