Walk into a grocery store in about a month, and pick up a produce item; something will be different. The so-called “country of origin” labeling is taking effect. This new food label law requires food retailers to disclose where meat, produce, and other food products come from.
This new rule’s goal is to make it easier for consumers to know if there food is imported.

While the new law is intended to make it easier for consumers, there is some added confusion. The new food label law only covers meat and produce, and excludes packaged items. Foods that have mixed ingredients, like packaged lettuce, are not required to be labeled. Chicken is also exempted from the law.

The country of origin labeling was established in 2002 when congress passed the Farm Bill, but it was not put in effect until 2008 when Congress implemented a more wide variety of foods are added to the law. It will cost food retailers $247 million per year to keep up the labeling on the food. However, consumers have the right to know where there food comes from, so the costly price is worth it. The new food labeling law is set to take effect at the end of October.