A Meaty Question to our American Friends

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Stu
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A Meaty Question to our American Friends

Post by Stu »

I have a question to our friends across the pond in the US. When you shop for meat and chicken in American supermarkets, does the product sometimes (or always) show a place of origin? In other words, will it say "Produce of USA" or "Produce of Argentina"?

The reason I am asking is that there are rumours in the UK that American supermarkets are barred from stating country of origin on meat products. The last time I was in the US, I seem to remember my wife specifically choosing locally produced meat rather than imported meat - or am I mistaken?
Happy-N-Skirts
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Re: A Meaty Question to our American Friends

Post by Happy-N-Skirts »

I have never paid attention to any label about where meat comes from other than my wife prefers beef from New Zealand. I will look.
Stu
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Re: A Meaty Question to our American Friends

Post by Stu »

Thanks!
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Jim
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Re: A Meaty Question to our American Friends

Post by Jim »

I'm not going to bother looking it up, as any of you can do that, but I remember hearing of a law that bans country of origin labeling for meat. They said this had to be done to conform with trade agreements.
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beachlion
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Re: A Meaty Question to our American Friends

Post by beachlion »

https://thecounter.org/country-of-origi ... -grassfed/

In Europe there is also a code on the label. With the code they can trace back the whole process until the animal. Also the country of origin is mentioned and the way the animal was raised, free range or not.
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Re: A Meaty Question to our American Friends

Post by Faldaguy »

Like many things on US labels, they often appear to imply things, but carefully reading of the line and knowing the 'rule' may be vital to any clarity. With meat, it can be labeled a "Product of the USA" even if imported provided it is "processed" in the States (i.e. -- someone cuts it up and packages it in the US. Tread carefully.
Stu
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Re: A Meaty Question to our American Friends

Post by Stu »

Thank you for the responses. I did search online before I posted on here, but without much success. So far as I can see, there is an issue with beef labelling and country of origin, but that looks as if it is a minor one and it is being considered. I would have no worries about eating American produced, hormone-free beef from local ranchers, but I would be a bit concerned if I discovered the meat had been imported from a poorer, South American country unless there had been checks on hygiene or animal welfare. Customers have the right to be informed what they are buying and whence it came, so labelling is essential, and that applies equally to European-produced meat.
6ft3Aussie
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Re: A Meaty Question to our American Friends

Post by 6ft3Aussie »

Obviously every country has different rules and regulations around food labelling when it comes to country of origin etc.

In Australia certainly all packaging must by law state the country of origin, often you will see products labelled with something like "Packaged in Australia from local and imported ingredients" and "Product of Australia and Malaysia"

There is a growing movement to buy products that are not just packaged, but grown in Australia, to keep local producers and companies in business, reduce our dependence on overseas products, and ensure that the food products were are consuming comply with Australia's rigorous standards for production and overall safety, the latter point is one thing that products produced in some countries may not be able to guarantee.

Food production standards and harmonised in both Australia and New Zealand, and products from either country are completely safe and produced to very high standards. I cannot comment about products from the USA or UK, as I have no real knowledge in that area.
john62
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Re: A Meaty Question to our American Friends

Post by john62 »

Many products in the in the supermarket in Australia now have the percentage of Australian product in the item.

John
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phathack
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Re: A Meaty Question to our American Friends

Post by phathack »

The 2016 Farm bill updated labeling requirements so that all Fresh Meats & Vegetables must be labeled with the Country of Origin. A USDA Inspection label indicates US Origin for the meat product.
https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulati ... -consumers
There is a lot ID Number on packages as well, they allow the USDA to track a package of meat back to the packing line and in theory to the farm or ranch where the animal was raised.
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Re: A Meaty Question to our American Friends

Post by Ralph »

She-who-must-be-obeyed and I have just about given up on supermarket meat, even before the idiotic panic buying of meat started last month. Instead we drive out to the country where we can buy directly from local farms whenever possible. It means buying a couple hundred pounds of meat in one go and storing it for a year at a time, but at least we know what went into it and where it came from. Plus we support the local businesses.

Sadly there is not much in the way of fresh-caught salmon here in America's heartland.
Ralph!
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Re: A Meaty Question to our American Friends

Post by Ray »

Ralph, I salute you. That’s a great approach to take. Shopping local means the money goes to those who need it - and who deserve it. If you’re going to eat a dead animal, then knowing it’s provenance is important.

During lockdown, I’ve been buying all my red meat from butchers and local farm shops. In fairness I mostly did that anyway beforehand.

In terms of price, it’s on a par with supermarkets. The quality is a lot better though. My small contribution also helps keep the farm and the retailer in business.
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Re: A Meaty Question to our American Friends

Post by Dottie »

Farming hat on / I produce pork and goat meat, in the UK the traceability is such that from the product label the supplier ,the abattoir , processor and the packing plant can be identified. If needs be , and this is easier if you purchase from a butcher or farm shop the individual animal can be identified.
Sadly for us farmers some imported product can enter the country and be processed in a UK plant and appear to be of UK origin, close inspection of the label would reveal otherwise, but not everyone looks at the label :cry:

Buy from a local supplier and get what you want not what the supermarket wants you to have
Ray
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Re: A Meaty Question to our American Friends

Post by Ray »

I really try not to buy red meat from a supermarket.

This afternoon I drove to a farm shop. 1.15kg fillet at £59/kg. Another butcher sells at £45/kg. Prices comparable with supermarkets but superb provenance and money going to the right entities.

That’s going to be a brilliant Beef Wellington tomorrow, washed down with a lovely Gevrey Chambertin and a top Australian red (2001 Parker Estate Terra Rossa First Growth). Yum!

Shop local. Buy only good meat - or don’t eat meat.
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Sinned
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Re: A Meaty Question to our American Friends

Post by Sinned »

We buy all our meat and pies from a local butcher. We've been going to the same place for for over 35 years. The produce is good, he knows more or less what we want as soon as we enter the shop and we occasionally get special buys. Our only exception is that we ( rarely ) get some specialised meat from Iceland - tried some kangaroo and one or two others. Just to see what, if anything, I'm missing.
I believe in offering every assistance short of actual help but then mainly just want to be left to be myself in all my difference and uniqueness.
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