The mechanism. Two federal rules are colliding on the same feedlots and kill floors this year. FSIS's "Product of USA" rule (Docket FSIS-2022-0015) hit its uniform labeling compliance date on January 1, 2026, and for the first time requires packers to document — not just claim — that an animal was born, raised, slaughtered, and processed entirely in the U.S. before they can put "Product of USA" on the package. Layered on top is USDA APHIS's electronic-ID eartag mandate for cattle and bison moving interstate, finalized in 2024 and now working through enforcement. Neither rule is the old WTO-illegal mandatory COOL statute Congress repealed in 2015 — this is state-coalition pressure (Montana, others) plus federal verification standards achieving something similar through the back door. Either way, the compliance burden isn't a label sticker. It's chain-of-custody: recordkeeping, segregation, lot-tracking, and audit trails from ranch to retail case. That's a capex and services cycle, and it doesn't only bill to the packer.
Who cashes in: