Food & Agriculture

CFA Repeats Request for USDA to Disclose Labeling Claim Data

Consumer Federation of America submitted the following comments to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regarding the agency’s revised guideline on substantiating animal-raising or environment-related labeling claims. Well-regulated labeling claims can help to inform consumers and empower them to “vote with their pocketbook” for production practices that reflect their values. However, FSIS has a checkered history of ensuring that labeling claims are truthful and not misleading, as the law requires. CFA’s comments urge FSIS to set substantive standards for claims where appropriate, and to post claim-related disclosures on the FSIS website, and where claims lack third-party certification, require a disclaimer saying so on the product label itself.