 July 31, 2007 |
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COOL Survives Test in U.S. House of Representatives Contact: Danni Beer, USCA COOL Committee Chairman 605/524-3383 |
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| San Lucas, Calif. (July 31, 2007) - The U.S. House of Representatives, on July 27, passed a far-reaching Farm Bill that includes a compromise provision to the mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) requirements for beef, lamb and pork scheduled for implementation on September 30, 2008. The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) said today the negotiations, led by Tom Buis, National Farmers Union President, preserve the intent of the original law passed in 2002 and reflect a victory for producers and consumers.
"The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association has been keenly aware of the impending ground battle in Congress over COOL and we’ve taken appropriate actions to counter COOL opponents," noted Jon Wooster, USCA President, San Lucas, CA. "USCA representatives traveled to Washington, DC in June to meet with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson. We conveyed to Chairman Peterson producer concerns about protecting and preserving provisions in the law when the House Agriculture Committee began debate of Farm Bill policy. When it became clear that a solution-oriented approach was necessary, the Chairman tapped Tom Buis to meet privately with a representative of the meat processing industry to negotiate an agreement. The result was a victory for cattle producers and consumers." The language adopted includes three categories of meat labeling. One label will indicate the product was derived from an animal born, raised and slaughtered exclusively in the U.S.; a second label will indicate the product is not an exclusive product of the U.S.; and a third label will be assigned to products imported entirely from other nations. Ground meat products may be labeled with a list of the countries where the final product may have originated. "Producers and consumers received welcome support from CNN Anchor Lou Dobbs throughout the week of committee debate," noted Wooster. "Mr. Dobbs brought national media attention to the issue which heightened consumer awareness and interaction with Congress at a critical time. USCA extends its gratitude to the National Farmers Union staff for their leadership with the Americans for Country of Origin Labeling (ACOL), a historical coalition of producers and consumers. USCA’s Director of Governmental Affairs, Jess Peterson, a well-respected individual on Capitol Hill was pivotal, keeping the information flowing to ranchers across the country who made the contacts with their elected officials and applied the necessary pressure. This was, indeed, a team effort," Wooster added. |
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