CSPI Newsroom
Return to the Center for Science in the Public Interest

For Immediate
Release:
January 12, 2001

For more information:
202/332-9110


  USDA’s Meat Labeling Proposal: “A Step In The Right Direction”
Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, had the following comment about the United States Department of Agriculture's proposed rule on meat labeling.
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) proposal to require nutrition labels on ground beef and ground chicken is a step in the right direction. However, nutrition labels should be required on all fresh meat — a huge source of artery-clogging fat — and poultry. The signs or brochures with nutrition data that USDA would allow grocery stores to post for most fresh meat and poultry are totally worthless. Also, USDA caved in to meat-industry pressure by giving it a special exemption to use a ‘lean-percentage’ (like ‘80% lean’) claim on products that are not low in fat. No other foods can make such a statement, unless they are low in fat.”