The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) develops and provides labeling guidance, policies and inspection methods, and administers programs to protect consumers from misbranded and economically adulterated meat and poultry products which ensures that all labels are truthful and not misleading.

Resources

SMA Nutritional Labeling- SMA is offers nutritional labeling for single and multi ingredient products to members at a minimal cost. Download the Nutritional Labeling Forms and Confidentiality Agreement here.

FSIS Food Standards and Labeling Policy Book– The guidance provides examples of meat and poultry product labels that are true and not misleading. Additionally, claims and statements. Meat and poultry product labels that carry claims and statements listed in this guidance and that otherwise comply with FSIS labeling regulations are deemed to be generically approved by the Agency without being submitted for evaluation and approval.

FSIS Labeling Policies  – includes labeling information for generic label approval, irradiation, natural or regenerated collagen sausage casing, net weight labeling, nutrition labeling information, product dating, and standards of identity.

FSIS Labeling Procedures– includes integration of paper label applications into LSAS, extraordinary circumstances, temporary label approval, and procedures for labeling evaluation submission.

Expansion of Generic Label Approval Final Rule - As of March 20, 2023, FSIS will only review three categories of labels: labels for temporary approval, labels for religious exempt products, and labels with special statements and claims.

Label Submission & Approval System (LSAS)

Click here for LSAS

LSAS User Guide for Industry User 

Labeling Ingredients

FSIS Labeling Ingredients Guidance

Labeling Claims

FSIS Labeling Claims Guidance

FSIS-GD-2024-0006 Guideline on Substantiating Animal-Raising or Environment-Related Labeling Claims (Issued Aug. 2024)

Animal Raising Claims Labeling Guidelines Update Presentation (Sept. 1, 2021)

FSIS Guidelines

Quick link to FSIS Labeling Guidelines

FSIS-GD-2024-0001 FSIS Compliance Guideline for Label Approval (Updated March 2024)

FSIS-GD-2007-001 A Guide to Federal Food Labeling Requirements for Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products (Issued Aug. 2007)

FSIS Directives

7000.4 Verifying Certain Transferred Labeling (Apr. 24, 2023)

7120.1 Safe and Suitable Ingredients Used in the Production of Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products (Revised Aug. 7, 2024)

7130.1 Verifying Nutrition Labeling for the Major Cuts of Single-Ingredient, Raw Meat and Poultry Products and Ground or Chopped Meat and Poultry Products (Jul 8, 2015)

7221.1 Prior Labeling Approval- Revision 3 (Jan. 18, 2023)

7230.1 Ongoing Verification of Product Formulation and Labeling Targeting the Eight Most Common (“BIG 8”) Food Allergens (Sep 26, 2018)

9900.5 Label Verification of Imported Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products- Revision 2 (Dec 21, 2020)