Washington, DC – Representatives Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) and Josh Harder (CA-09) have introduced a bill that would require clear labeling of canned goods so families know what country their food comes from. Currently, many families have no idea they are buying cheap, imported canned goods. Imports of canned fruits and vegetables from China increased 43% between 2019 and 2022. National Sources Consumer Awareness Act (CANS) requires that canned fruits and vegetables must clearly indicate the country of origin so that families can make informed purchasing decisions in the supermarket and choose foods grown in the United States when necessary.
“America’s farmers work incredibly hard to produce high-quality food for the nation and deserve to have their efforts recognized. American consumers should also know whether what they are buying was produced domestically or abroad,” said Congressman Van Orden. “I am proud to present you the American CANS Act with Rep. Harder to require country of origin labeling on cans that supports our local farmers and ensures transparency for consumers.”
“The Central Valley is the fruit and nut basket of the world, but our grocery store shelves are full of peaches, tomatoes and other canned goods grown 7,000 miles away,” said Congressman Harder. “I want my daughters to eat local, healthy produce, but right now you need a microscope to find out where it was grown. That doesn’t make sense. This law will make sure we know exactly what we’re eating and where it comes from.”
“On behalf of the U.S. metal can manufacturers, we welcome the introduction of the National Sources Consumer Awareness Act (American CANS)which enables clear and uniform identification of the country in which each canned product was picked and packaged”, said Robert Budway, president of the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI). “Ensuring proper labeling of imported canned goods will allow American consumers to easily distinguish between products made in America and those packaged in other countries. Preliminary survey data show that country of origin is an important factor that American packaged food buyers consider. This law will enable American consumers to make informed decisions about where their food comes from. Consumer decisions based on complete country of origin information will, in turn, help support American farmers and food producers, who are critical to the U.S. economy.”
The full text of the law can be found here.
