information of labels of ground or chopped products would be calculated on an "as packaged" basis. SAMPLE LABEL WITH NUTRITIONAL LABELING Country of Origin Labeling On January 15, 2009 the USDA AMS published a final rule for all covered commodities combined (74 FR 2658) which became effective on . The requirements do not apply to covered commodities produced or packaged before . During the six-month period following the effective date of the regulation, AMS focused its resources on education and outreach or what is being termed, “informed compliance”. Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) compliance is required. All retailers are required to comply with COOL. A retailer is defined as any person licensed as a retailer under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). The PACA definition of a retailer includes only those retailers handling fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables with an invoice value of at least $230,000 annually. HOWEVER, all individuals selling meat and poultry are considered retailers, regardless of the amount sold. The COOL law exempts food service establishments, including those within retail establishments, which includes restaurants, cafeterias, lunchrooms, food stands, bars, salad bars, and delicatessens. Food enterprises located within retail establishments that provide ready-to-eat foods are also exempt. If an individual sells product to , a different section of the rule will be required to be followed. The following must be labeled: Muscle cuts of beef, veal, lamb, mutton, chicken, goat, and pork. Ground beef (including veal) ground lamb (including mutton), ground chicken, ground goat, and ground pork. Fish and shellfish (both wild and farm raised). Perishable agricultural commodities (fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables). Peanuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts. Ginseng. While non-amenable meat is not required to be labeled under COOL, the USDA labeling office may require “Product of the U.S.A” to be added to the label of products derived from animals raised, slaughtered and/or processed in the . The COOL law contains an express exclusion for an ingredient in a processed food item. Examples of processed food items excluded from COOL labeling requirements are: teriyaki flavored pork loin, breaded chicken tenders, and marinated chicken breasts. Retail items that meet the definition of a processed food item do not require labeling under the COOL final rule;
Sausage Kitchen This term applies to inspected establishments where sausage is made. Seafood The term "fish" includes all or saltwater finfish, molluscan shellfish, crustaceans, and other forms of aquatic animal life. Birds are specifically excluded from the definition because commercial species of birds are either nonaquatic or, as in the case of aquatic birds such as ducks, regulated by USDA. Mammals are also specifically excluded because no aquatic mammals are processed or marketed commercially in this country. Shipping container. The outside container (box, bag, barrel, crate, or other receptacle or covering) containing or wholly or partly enclosing any product packed in one or more immediate containers. Slaughtering The term slaughter refers to the act of killing livestock or poultry for use as human food. State. Any State of the or the . State Inspection Establishments have the option to apply for Federal or State inspection. Under the agreement, a State's program must enforce requirements "at least equal to" those imposed under the Federal Meat and Poultry Products Inspection Acts. However, product produced under State inspection is limited to intrastate commerce. FSIS provides up to 50% of the State's operating funds, as well as training and other assistance. State programs (about half the states use them) must be certified by USDA to be at least equal to federal inspection requirements. However, products from state-inspected plants (most of them are relatively smaller operations) cannot be sold outside of the state. Supervision. The controls, as prescribed in instructions to Program employees, to be exercised by them over particular operations to insure that such operations are conducted in compliance with the Act and the regulations in this subchapter. Territory. , the , , and any other territory or possession of the , excluding the . Transport Vehicle refers to any vehicle used to transport animals. Condemned. This term means that the livestock so identified has been inspected and found to be in a dying condition, or to be affected with any other condition or disease that would require condemnation of its carcass. Inspected and Condemned (or any authorized abbreviation thereof). This term means that the carcass, viscera, other part of carcass, or other product so identified has been inspected, found to be adulterated, and condemned under the regulations in this subchapter.