HAMBURGER or steak market 'Product of the USA' may contain beef from cattle raised as far away as Australia, a loose labelling practice that has grabbed US President Joe Biden's attention as he and anti-trust regulators set their sights on meatpacking conglomerates, reports Bloomberg.
The fight over the label evokes grievances among cattle producers over the lopsided market power of the four companies that control 85 per cent of US beef-processing
Producers have been growing frustrated over the share they receive of soaring grocery-store prices.
The issue gives Mr Biden a rare opportunity to make inroads with rural voters while also addressing progressive demands to check corporate power.
'We want to make sure that consumers understand precisely what that means,' said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
'So we're in a process of doing a fairly extensive survey to find out if consumers understand what that means and whether they place value on it.'
Critics say current labeling rules undercut US cattle producers' bargaining power with meatpackers, making it harder for independent meat processors to differentiate US-raised beef from competing products.
Beef and pork can be sold as produced in the US, even if the livestock was born, raised, and slaughtered elsewhere, as long as it experiences any processing in America.
SeaNews Turkey
The fight over the label evokes grievances among cattle producers over the lopsided market power of the four companies that control 85 per cent of US beef-processing
Producers have been growing frustrated over the share they receive of soaring grocery-store prices.
The issue gives Mr Biden a rare opportunity to make inroads with rural voters while also addressing progressive demands to check corporate power.
'We want to make sure that consumers understand precisely what that means,' said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
'So we're in a process of doing a fairly extensive survey to find out if consumers understand what that means and whether they place value on it.'
Critics say current labeling rules undercut US cattle producers' bargaining power with meatpackers, making it harder for independent meat processors to differentiate US-raised beef from competing products.
Beef and pork can be sold as produced in the US, even if the livestock was born, raised, and slaughtered elsewhere, as long as it experiences any processing in America.
SeaNews Turkey
