By Jennifer Porter
Consumers often find marketing claims such as, raised without antibiotics, cage-free, and grass-fed on protein-based food packaging. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) offers audit services that provide assurance to customers on the validity of these types of claims.
Through the USDA Process Verified Program (PVP), highly skilled AMS auditors confirm that a participating company is adhering to its own set of standards. This is a voluntary service, provided by AMS to give businesses a way to show products are in fact to the standard on their label. Standards verified by AMS vary by industry and product. PVP helps ensure that producers and processors are able to access markets for their value-added products while providing important reassurances to consumers. As market demands continue to expand, the products covered by a USDA PVP continue to diversify from pork, poultry, veal and lamb, to catfish, yogurt, and cheese.
To get an approved PVP, a company must have a documented system in place that describes its standard and how it intends to implement it. The company submits a Quality Manual that supports and describes its standards, procedures, records, policies, and objectives. AMS auditors then conduct a desk audit followed by an on-site audit to ensure all requirements are accounted for and documented in the company’s Quality Manual. Once approved, the company may use the “USDA Process Verified” shield.
For example, if a beef packer wanted to verify a “Born, Raised, and Harvested in the USA” claim, AMS auditors would review records to verify the animal was born in the U.S., and records that demonstrate the animal was fed in the U.S. Then, at the packer, auditors confirm domestic cattle and beef are properly labeled and segregated from other products and ensure domestic origin requirements are followed.
Remember that all label claims for meat, poultry, or egg products must be approved by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to ensure they are truthful and not misleading. FSIS accepts – but does not require – third-party certification, like the PVP, to support the review of marketing claims. Keep in mind that claims like “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” are voluntary but do have certain requirements. Visit the FSIS website for more information.
Source : usda.gov