Claims about meat, poultry products come under greater USDA scrutiny

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking a closer look at the truthfulness of meat and poultry products marketed as "free-range," "raised without antibiotics," and other similar claims about how the source animal was raised, according to a news release from the American Veterinary Medical Association.

The USDA announced on June 14 a multi-step effort aimed at strengthening the substantiation of animal-raising claims. "Consumers should be able to trust that the label claims they see on products bearing the USDA mark of inspection are truthful and accurate," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a press release.

"USDA is taking this action to ensure the integrity of animal-raising claims and level the playing field for producers who are truthfully using these claims, which we know consumers value and rely on to guide their meat and poultry purchasing decisions," he said.