{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-thune-push-to-keep-foreign-beef-from-receiving-product-of-the-usa-label", "Rounds, Thune Push to Keep Foreign Beef from Receiving \u201cProduct of the U.S.A.\u201d Label", "2019-10-30", "2019", "2019-10", "Republican", "Senate", "SD", "Mike Rounds", "R000605", "www.rounds.senate.gov", "rounds", "https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) today took steps to keep beef born, raised and slaughtered in foreign countries from receiving a \u201cProduct of the U.S.A.\u201d label. The U.S. Beef Integrity Act would make certain that the \u201cProduct of the U.S.A.\u201d label only goes to beef and beef products exclusively derived from one or more animals born, raised and slaughtered in the United States.\n\nCurrently, the USDA\u2019s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) does not require that beef be born, raised and slaughtered in the U.S. in order to carry a \u201cProduct of the U.S.A.\u201d label. This loophole allows beef from livestock born and raised in foreign countries to be labeled \u201cProduct of the U.S.A.\u201d as long as the beef undergoes additional processing at a processing plant in the U.S.\n\nAdditionally, Thune and Rounds wrote to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to offer support for administrative changes to the FSIS beef labeling requirements.\n\n\u201cOur cattle producers offer some of the highest-quality beef in the world,\u201d said Rounds. \u201cConsumers deserve to know where their food is coming from. When South Dakota families purchase beef labeled \u2018Product of the U.S.A.,\u2019 they should know with certainty that it is coming from one of our top-quality producers. Today\u2019s beef labeling rules are misleading and allow beef and beef products from cattle born, raised and slaughtered outside of the U.S. to be labeled as U.S. beef. This must be fixed for both consumers and our hardworking producers.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor South Dakota ranchers, \u2018Product of the U.S.A\u2019 is far more than a label. It\u2019s a sense of pride, and it represents a way of life,\u201d said Thune. \u201cThis legislation is straightforward and common sense, two qualities that are often lacking in Washington and are made up for by South Dakotans and their hardworking spirit. It\u2019s with our ranchers and agriculture community in mind that I\u2019m proud to support this bill to give consumers more accurate information about what\u2019s on the grocery store shelf and help showcase America\u2019s beef products \u2013 the best in the world \u2013 as clearly and as proudly as possible.\u201d\n\nFull Text of Letter:\n\nDear Secretary Perdue:\n\nWe write to express our support for the U.S. Cattlemen\u2019s Association\u2019s petition requesting the establishment of certain beef labeling requirements.\n\nAs you may know, concerns have been raised around the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the qualifications for labeling beef as a \u201cProduct of the U.S.A.\u201d Specifically, USDA\u2019s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) does not currently require that beef be born, raised, and slaughtered in the United States in order to carry a \u201cProduct of the U.S.A.\u201d label. As a result, beef from cattle that are born, raised, and slaughtered in another country can be labeled \u201cProduct of the U.S.A.\u201d so long as the beef undergoes additional processing in a USDA-inspected plant.\n\nOur farmers and ranchers work hard to deliver the highest-quality and safest food products in the world. Americans recognize this, and they want to know where their food is coming from. Unfortunately, without clear parameters, the current \u201cProduct of the U.S.A.\u201d label can be misleading to consumers and can result in imported beef being labeled as though it is of U.S. origin.\n\nThank you for your prompt attention to this matter. We look forward to your response.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:39:44Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-thune-push-to-keep-foreign-beef-from-receiving-product-of-the-usa-label"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8971309289336205, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}