The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that it is proposing to amend labeling regulations to remove duplicative net weight and net content requirements for packages that contain certain amounts of meat or poultry products. The proposed regulation would apply to products that are at least one pound or one pint, but less than four pounds or one gallon.

FSIS is proposing this action after receiving a petition submitted by a small meat processor in response to USDA’s request for ideas to better serve its customers.

“It’s simply good government to review old regulations to see if they are outdated and burdensome,” said FSIS Administrator Carmen Rottenberg. “FSIS doesn’t believe that a duplicative labeling requirement helps consumers and sees it as an unnecessary requirement for industry.”

Under proposed rule, establishments that produce meat and poultry products in packages containing one pound or one pint and less than four pounds or one gallon will be allowed to express the weight or contents in one unit of measurement on the product label, instead of using both measures [e.g., “Net Wt. 24 oz.” or “Net Wt. 1.5 lbs.” rather than “Net Wt. 24 oz. (1.5 lbs.)].

Establishments would be allowed to use their current labels until they run out or may elect to use them indefinitely. 

To view the proposed rule and for information on how to comment on the proposed rule, visit https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/regulations/federal-register/proposed-rules.

Source: FSIS