| In
a vote this week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted
to maintain a delay in the implementation of mandatory country-of-origin
labeling for meat products. A provision barring USDA from
spending any money to prepare for COOL's implementation
was included in an appropriations bill passed by the House
in a vote of 408-18.
COOL,
which is supported by several independent farming and consumer
organizations but is opposed by most U.S. meat-industry
trade associations, would require meat products sold at
retail to indicate the country of origin of the meat contained
in the products. Trade groups opposing the plan say COOL
will cost the industry hundreds of millions of dollars to
implement even while there has been little public outcry
for such a labeling law.
“By
passing the delay, Congress will now have time to take action
on a meaningful, bipartisan country-of-origin program that
makes sense for both pork producers and American consumers,”
said Don Buhl, president of the National Pork Producers
Council. Countered National Farmers Union president Dave
Frederickson: “Congress missed an opportunity to help American
consumers known where their food comes from, as well as
a change to help American producers differentiate their
high quality domestic products from imported beef. This
law has been on the books for three years. How much more
time do they need?”
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