Board approves US Identity Preserved labeling standard

Customers of U.S. Identity Preserved-certified suppliers will be able to begin using the Identity Preserved United States label on their retail packaging, following a decision by the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) Board of Directors on Sept. 14 in Fargo, N.D.

The board approved the following regulation for usage of the label for retail packaging:

An eligible product is one that contains greater than 75 percent of its total soybean/grain ingredients from U.S. Identity Preserved-certified suppliers.

The U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan and brand mark program has been in place since December 2021. Since then, 14 companies have been certified by the program, which is managed by SSGA.

Those companies process, ship and export identity preserved soybeans, other oilseeds and grains, including as ingredients for packaged foods such as tofu, soymilk, natto and others.

“Like suppliers of identity preserved soybeans and grains, food manufacturers who purchase those crops seek to convey the quality of their products,” SSGA Manager of Strategic Programs Shane Frederick said. “Whether it appears on a shipment of specialty soybeans from the United States or on a retail package in an overseas supermarket or convenience store, the Identity Preserved United States label conveys a high-quality, traceable and purposeful product.”

Already, SSGA has received interest from foreign customers of U.S. Identity Preserved-certified suppliers to use the Identity Preserved United States label on their retail packaging.

“Food companies globally continue to recognize the importance of sourcing higher value certified identity preserved products from the U.S. to improve the quality of their consumer offerings,” said Bob Sinner, SSGA chair and partner at SB&B Foods, a supplier of identity preserved crops. “SSGA is excited these same food manufacturers now want to demonstrate how satisfied and proud they are by displaying the U.S. Identity Preserved logo on their retail packaging.”

SSGA will put an application on the website usidentitypreserved.org where interested companies may apply to use the label. This confidential application will be reviewed by and only by SSGA staff. Once approved, the company will sign a licensing agreement with SSGA. Approved companies bear the responsibility to be in compliance with their respective country’s labeling laws, rules and regulations. SSGA will provide education and assistance to companies, consumer affairs and other regulatory agencies upon request or assist a company in its work to get any label approvals.

In addition, SSGA will work with approved companies to market their products with the label and/or help educate consumers and customers about the label and dialogue with participating companies to better understand their customer base and what the value of this label means to their consumers.

U.S. companies interested in joining the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan can apply at usidentitypreserved.org/assurance-plan-application/.