The U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing a new rule to narrow what products qualify for a "Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” label. Now only meat, poultry and egg products from animals "born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States" will make the grade.
Right now, companies can put that label on meat from animals that were raised in a foreign country but slaughtered in the U.S., or meat that was butchered in a different country but repackaged here.
The agency said the change delivers on President Joe Biden's executive order to promote American products and producers, and another order from the administration calling for government action to increase competition in the meat and poultry supply chain.
“American consumers expect that when they buy a meat product at the grocery store, the claims they see on the label mean what they say,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a press release. “These proposed changes are intended to provide consumers with accurate information to make informed purchasing decisions."
However, the label will continue to be voluntary, and producers still won't need approval by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Companies just need to keep supporting documentation on file for an inspector to verify at their discretion.
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
