WC Wisconsin News

Reps. Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) and Josh Harder (CA-09) have introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at ensuring consumers are informed about the origin of canned goods they purchase. The proposed legislation, named the American Consumer Awareness of National Source (CANS) Act, mandates that canned fruits and vegetables be clearly labeled with their country of origin.

The motivation behind this bill stems from the increasing imports of canned fruits and vegetables from countries like China, which saw a 43% rise between 2019 and 2022. The CANS Act aims to provide transparency for consumers, enabling them to make informed choices regarding whether to buy domestically produced or imported food products.

"America’s farmers work incredibly hard to produce high-quality food for the nation and deserve their efforts to be recognized. American consumers should also know if what they buy is domestically or internationally produced," said Congressman Van Orden. "I am proud to introduce the American CANS Act with Rep. Harder to require a country-of-origin label on cans, which supports our domestic farmers and ensures transparency for consumers."

Congressman Harder echoed these sentiments: "The Central Valley is the fruit and nut basket of the world, but our grocery store shelves are filled with peaches, tomatoes, and other canned goods grown 7,000 miles away. I want my daughters to eat local, healthy produce but right now you need a microscope to figure out where it was grown. That makes no sense. This bill will ensure we know exactly what we’re eating and where it’s from."

Robert Budway, president of Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI), expressed support for the bill: "On behalf of the U.S. metal food can manufacturers, we applaud Rep. Josh Harder and Rep. Derrick Van Orden for introducing the American Consumer Awareness of National Source (American CANS) Act, which will provide clear and consistent labeling on the country in which each canned food product was picked and packed."

Budway added that properly labeling imported canned foods would empower American consumers by allowing them to easily distinguish between domestically produced products and those packaged abroad. He cited preliminary survey data indicating that country of origin is an important consideration for U.S. purchasers of packaged foods.

"This bill thus will enable American consumers to make informed decisions about where their food comes from," Budway continued. "Consumer choices based on full information about country of origin will in turn help support American farmers and food producers, which are critical to the U.S. economy."