Source: MEATINGPLACE, 7/31/15


A group of 142 farm, environmental and consumer organizations is appealing to Senate agriculture leaders to reject two separate congressional efforts to repeal the mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) law.

The coalition, which includes the Consumer Federation of America, Center for Food Safety, Food and Water Watch and a number of rural and farm groups, said attempts to convert the law into a voluntary program would weaken consumers’ right to know where their food originates.

The group said few if any meat products were ever labeled under past voluntary regimes.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) last month proposed a voluntary labeling plan to replace the current mandatory program.
Roberts (R-Kan.) has proposed an outright repeal of the COOL law for beef, pork and chicken.

In May, the World Trade Organization ruled in favor of Canada and Mexico in their case against the United States. The two countries have asked WTO to authorize them to impose more than $3 billion in tariffs on U.S. goods in retaliation for Washington’s failure to bring COOL into compliance with international trade laws.

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