Certain mixed or processed foods, like corned beef or sausage made with meats from different countries, or a package containing different kinds of vegetables, will be exempt, leaving some observers vastly unimpressed. “When they finalized this rule, they bent over backward to make as few things be covered as possible,” said a scientist with Consumers Union who was quoted in a Guardian article. “There are giant, giant loopholes in the law.” Only retailers that sell at least $230,000 annually of fresh and frozen fruits will have to comply with this rule, which will exempt most independent butchers, small food shops, restaurants, cafés and fish markets. Still, the law represents a step for people who want to know more about their food supply.

The government may have been moved to pass this rule because of recent problems with food from countries with lax safety regulations—and public furor over the consequences. Plus, protectionism is a factor: American ranchers and produce growers, threatened by cheap equivalents flowing in from Canada, Mexico, or farther away, have long lobbied Congress in favor of the labeling. “We believe consumers will seek out the U.S. product,” said the chief executive of a trade group of California cattle producers, who’s delighted at the change in winds.

Of course, just because it’s a US-grown food product doesn’t mean it’s safe, tasty, or environmentally friendly. Sarah Klein, a food-safety attorney at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, acknowledged, “While it’s tempting to demonize food from other places, we’ve seen over the years that there are problems with the domestic food supply as well.”

As far as I’m concerned, anything that makes people think about the impact of their grocery shopping is a step in the right direction.