United States-Beef labelling.

UNITED STATES-COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELLING.

It’s not where’s the beef, but where did the beef come from that government officials hope a newly implemented federal law will answer.

The answer to that question for some Treasure Coast supermarkets is lamb from Australia and chicken and beef, both from the United States.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture implemented a law that requires country-of-origin labels to be place on fresh meat for beef, pork, lamb, goat and chicken as a way to give consumers more information about the food they are eating.

"That’s a plus," said Shelly Charron, of Vero Beach, who on Thursday was loading groceries into her car in the parking lot of the Publix supermarket on Miracle Mile. "Knowing where the food comes from means you can look out for certain things."

Fish markets and butcher shops are exempt from applying the label.

It is possible for a package of meat to have multiple countries because before animals are slaughtered they are sometimes born, raised and slaughtered in different countries, according to the USDA Web site.

"A lot of people owned that cow from the gate to the plate," said rancher Sean Sexton, of Treasure Hammock Ranch in Indian River County, who supports having the label used in the meat industry. The produce industry has a similar practice that helps customers identify produce such as Georgia peaches, California grapes and, of course, Florida oranges.

Also, Sexton said, the label will help ranchers and distributors with quality assurance issues as they’ll be able to track how well meat purchased from a certain rancher sells at market. Ranchers will know whether changes are needed to the cattle feeding habit to get the best quality of meat.

While almost all beef consumed in this country is from the United States, rancher Mike Adams, president of Adams Ranch in St. Lucie County, said the label will help reassure customers.

"I think the label will lead to a lot more consumers having confidence in what they are buying," he said.

"I feel safer with U.S. foods and would rather spend my money on U.S. products," said North Hutchinson Island resident Nancy Shillinglaw Thursday as she and her husband John were loading groceries into their car at the Publix supermarket on Miracle Mile.

Customer Carol Morrison of Vero Beach said she is pleased with the label and will make sure to purchase meats with a "product of U.S." label.

"It is very important to know where your food comes from," she said.

While the label provides some safety, Gifford resident Avril Flemming said she is not putting her trust in it.

"Just because the label says that doesn’t mean it is true," she said.

Country-of-origin label must be applied to the following packages:

• Ground and cuts of beef including veal, lamb, pork, chicken and goat

• Wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish

• Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables

• Peanuts.