USCA: An Attack on COOL Imminent in Congress; Producer Action Needed

For More Information: Danni Beer, USCA COOL Committee Chair  605/524-3383;
Email Contact: usca@uscattlemen.org

USCA COOL Committee Chairman Danni Beer, South Dakota, says word from Capitol Hill indicates two pieces of legislation will be introduced this week in the U.S. House of Representatives. "Now is the time for producers and consumers to contact their congressional delegation and let them know we expect them to hold the line against any further delays in implementing the law, and we do not support weakening the law by amending its language."

Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL) will likely introduce an amendment on Wednesday, July 18 during a U.S. House Appropriations Committee mark-up meeting aimed at delaying funding for implementation of the COOL law.

Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) is expected to introduce an amendment to alter the language of the law, effectively gutting it. Rep. Goodlatte’s amendment is expected to exempt ground beef from the labeling law, and it will likely redefine the "born, raised and slaughtered" provision. This provision in the law is identical to the definition that fish and seafood, already being labeled as to country of origin, must be hatched, raised, harvested and processed in the United States. U.S. cattle producers deserve the same differentiation of their product, and consumers deserve to know if the meat products they are purchasing have been produced outside the U.S.

"We anticipate rhetorical language from Rep. Goodlatte about the need to ‘fix’ the law, and he’ll likely indicate to his peers that the industry has come together on this issue. Rep. Goodlatte is wrong on both counts," asserted Beer. "There’s nothing to ‘fix’ in the law. Statements like this misinform and mislead policy-makers. COOL has overwhelming support from producers and consumers, yet Rep. Goodlatte continues to respond to pressure from the meat packing industry, its representative organizations and the large corporate feeders who don’t care where cattle come from as long as they can market them as a U.S. product."

A Consumer Reports survey, released on July 10, shows 92% of Americans want their food labeled. "Who can blame them," asked Beer. "Food safety events this year alone have heightened consumer awareness about the need to make choices about where their food originates."

Industry groups professing to represent cattle producers continue to lobby against the law inconsistently and without a factual basis. "Opponents of COOL complain that the law isn’t comprehensive enough because it does not cover poultry or the food service industry, yet they lobby to dilute the law even further. They want to delay or gut the law in order to continue business as usual, and that’s importing foreign product and selling it to consumers under the guise of the USDA stamp of approval. This allows them to continue reaping the economic benefits associated with access to U.S. markets without being required to distinguish the origin of the product."

"COOL’s opponents consist largely of the meat packing and processing sector," continued Beer. "Rep. Goodlatte has consistently and regularly answered the call of those industry sectors when it comes to delaying and derailing COOL. We can overcome these attempts to gut the law if ranchers, farmers and consumers speak and speak loudly."

Beer is urging all supporters of COOL to contact their elected Representatives to let them know that any attempt to "fix" COOL is a vote to oppose COOL, and to urge them to oppose any amendments to the COOL law, as well as any amendment that would delay its implementation.

"Even if a representative is not on the House Agriculture Committee, it is critical to call and ask them to make contact with their colleagues on the committee to let them know what voters expect, and to let committee members know they will not support a Farm Bill that contains amendments to weaken or delay implementation of the law."

To contact your elected representative dial 202/224-3121. Talking points and other information supporting COOL can be obtained at www.uscattlemen.org. Your call can, and will, make a difference.

Established in March 2007, USCA is committed to assembling a team to concentrate efforts in Washington D.C. to enhance and expand the cattle industry's voice on Capitol Hill. For membership forms and other information visit www.uscattlemen.org.