Rule Background

The Nutrition Labeling Coalition has been working collectively for nearly two decades, developing the first voluntary meat nutrition labeling program – Nutri-Facts – in the mid-1980s and releasing a revised, updated version in the 1990s. Their long-standing commitment to provide consumers with nutrition information at the meat case has remained its guiding principle, and each of the member organizations will continue to support and assist retailers as they implement the USDA’s new mandatory labeling rule.

Below is a brief timeline of the variety of regulations introduced to build upon the original Food & Drug Protection Act of 1906, thus leading to present-day nutrition labeling:

• 1972 – Regulations that consolidated existing rules and established voluntary nutrition labeling for the first time are published for the enforcement of the federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act and the Fair Packaging & Labeling Act.
  
• 1978 – In response to USDA and FDA surveys, it is determined that the public favors mandatory nutrition labeling.
  
• 1990 – The Nutrition Labeling & Education Act (NLEA) is passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush, thereby resulting in significant changes in food labeling, including a new label and guidelines for making health and nutrient content claims.
  
• 2000 – President Clinton announces plans to require nutrition labeling for meat and poultry products at the White House Conference on Food, Nutrition & Health.
  
• 2001 – The USDA publishes its proposed Nutrition Labeling of Ground or Chopped Meat or Poultry Products and Single-Ingredient Products Rule, which would require nutrition information on all labels of ground or chopped meat and poultry products while allowing for the continued use of readily identified % lean / % fat nomenclature. This rule would also make mandatory the existing voluntary program.