Pet Food Sourced or Made in the USA: What is the difference?

As a responsible parent, you look for and buy only the best quality for your pet. There has been a noticeable increase in the demand for products made in the USA, especially when it comes to feeding.

You can't deny the proud feeling you get when buying a product with the "Made in the USA" emblem on the box. It makes us feel patriotic. It assures us that there are safety and quality promises placed behind these words.

But do you know the difference between sourced and made in the USA? Below are some essential characteristics of what all these words mean. After all, they are marketing words used by organizations, and as such, you must practice due diligence as a pet parent when choosing the right product to buy for your best friend.

Sourced in the USA

This pet food label means the ingredients used to manufacture the product are received directly from a company that produces them somewhere in the nation. However, be wary of this label as it could also include imported and then "sourced" ingredients. It is always better to look for products that have a variation of the word "local" like "locally sourced" or "locally grown" ingredients. Although not strictly monitored or defined, the term local means the ingredient is produced within a particular market or region.

Made in the USA

With this label, you still have to practice some caution as a USA company may have manufactured the product, but the ingredients could have been imported from another country. Your feeling of pride in supporting the American economy could vanish if the ingredients they use are from a country with low-quality standards.

Eco-Friendly

A company that uses "eco-friendly," "eco-sourced," "green," or any other variation tied to the environment on its packaging is letting consumers know they are actively practicing manufacturing standards that reduce negative impact on the environment. These activities could be enforced throughout the sourcing chain (the network of organizations employed to produce a product) or just by the manufacturer applying the label (end-producer).

Fair Trade

This label usually applies to higher quality products where the whole system, from the producers (farmers) to the suppliers and distributors, follows a strict set of standards to manufacture a product.

Usually known as "ethically sourced," these standards include social, environmental, and economic rules every entity behind this label must follow and protect. Things like providing safe working conditions for laborers, following procedures that protect the environment, and providing sustainable livelihoods for every person that is part of the manufacturing process for the product.

Tip of the Tail

The bottom line is you are in the driver's seat when it comes to feeding your pet. And we understand how confusing this endeavor could get (and how fast) when choosing a high-quality product for your friend that is also good for the environment and society as a whole.

Retailers like us bear the responsibility to help responsible pet parents like you make the right choice. That is why our team of curators spend so much time carefully selecting products to add to our Nena's Corner Shop product line, and only the best make the cut. It would be best if you also demanded the same from every retailer you shop from and support.

And if when you ask they do not have a clear answer of how the product was made, it may be time to switch to one that puts pets, people, environment, and society before profits.