RECORDKEEPING REQUIREMENTS

Any person engaged in the business of supplying a covered commodity to a retailer, directly or indirectly, must maintain records to establish and identify the immediate previous source (if applicable) and immediate subsequent recipient of the product. Such records must identify the product unique to that transaction by means of a lot number or other unique identifier, for a period of one (1) year from the date of the transaction.

Establishments that slaughter livestock are considered initiating suppliers of a covered commodity. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), the agency that will administer the law, has indicated that the initiating supplier (packer) either must have the records in its possession or have access to records of the livestock supplier that substantiate the country of origin of the meat product at issue.    

At retail, records and other documentary evidence relied upon at the point of sale to establish a product's country(ies) of origin must be available during normal business hours to USDA representatives for so long as the product is on hand. For pre-labeled products, the label itself is sufficient evidence on which the retailer may rely to establish a product's origin.