As of September 30, 2008, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires retail establishments to label a wide variety of foods with their country of origin .

This new requirement, called the country-of-origin-labeling (COOL) rule, requires many foods, including beef, veal, lamb, chicken, pork, goat, fish, shellfish, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, ginseng, and various nuts, to be displayed with the country where they came from. It does not require specific information about states or regions within those countries.

According to Bruce Knight, the Under Secretary of Agriculture, the USDA will be working with retailers over the next six months to ensure that they are implementing the COOL rule in a manner which will provide consumers with the information they are looking for. Exceptions to the new labeling requirement include processed foods, products that are mixed with other food components, and roasted peanuts. And, the COOL rule doesn't apply to food service establishments, such as restaurants or cafeterias, or foods that were either packaged or produced before October 1, 2008.

Source

USDA, Transcript of USDA Officials Discuss Country of Origin Labeling Implementation with Reporters, September 30, 2008.