National Beef Adopts the USDA Product of USA Label: What It Means at the Meat Counter

National Beef Packing Company, the Kansas City, Missouri, beef processor, announced on November 9, 2026 that it is now using the USDA’s voluntary “Product of USA” label. Under the USDA standard that took effect January 1, 2026, that label can only appear on meat from animals born, raised, harvested and processed in the USA.

What National Beef announced

In its announcement, National Beef said its three beef packing plants buy all of their cattle from USA feedyards, and that the company has processed beef in the USA since it started in 1992. The company also runs four further processing facilities and one tannery, all in the USA, and employs more than 10,000 people.

“Consumers increasingly ask for products made in the USA.”

Tim Klein, CEO, National Beef

Trade outlet Meatingplace reported that National Beef is one of the four largest beef packers in the country, that its packing plants are in Liberal and Dodge City, Kansas, and Tama, Iowa, and that more than 30 processors have now signed on to the voluntary label. Meatingplace also noted that the company is majority-owned by Brazil’s MBRF Global Foods.

Why it matters for Made in USA

For years, imported beef could be relabeled “Product of USA” after minimal processing in a USA plant. Ranchers called it a loophole, and shoppers had no way to tell the difference at the meat case. The 2026 USDA standard closed it: the label now has to describe the animal’s whole life, not just the last step.

When one of the biggest packers in the country adopts the label, a lot more honestly labeled beef reaches grocery shelves, right as families shop for holiday roasts. That rewards USA cattle producers who have always done it the right way.

There is also an important point about honesty here. The “Product of USA” label is about where the animal came from, not who owns the company. A foreign-owned packer that buys only USA cattle can use it truthfully. A USA-owned company that brings in imported cattle cannot. That is exactly how an origin label should work: it describes the product, not the paperwork.

Two cautions for shoppers. First, the label is voluntary, so beef without it is not automatically imported. Second, look out for vague phrases like “packed in USA” or a flag graphic with no claim behind it. Those are not the same thing as “Product of USA.”

FAQ

What does “Product of USA” mean on beef in 2026?

Under USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service standard in effect since January 1, 2026, it means the meat came from animals born, raised, harvested and processed in the USA.

Is the Product of USA label required?

No. It is voluntary, but any company that uses it has to meet the standard.

Can a foreign-owned meat company use the label?

Yes, as long as the animals themselves were born, raised, harvested and processed in the USA. The label describes the product’s origin, not the company’s ownership.