The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today announced that it will offer a webinar on Feb. 11 to discuss its final rule on generic approval of product labels.

Effective Jan. 6, 2014, FSIS expanded the circumstances in which labels may be considered “generically approved.” This new rule will allow establishments to label a broader range of products without first submitting the label to the agency for approval. Companies will still need to submit labels bearing certain claims, such as organic, natural or animal-raising, as well as labels for temporary approval; products produced under religious exemption; and export-only that bear labeling deviations. FSIS will continue to verify that labels are accurate, not misleading and in compliance with all labeling features.