National Farmers Union to Congress: Implement COOL

Country of Origin Labeling needed for food

WASHINGTON — National Farmers Union, along with more than 200 organizations representing a broad cross-section of groups including consumers, urged members of Congress to support mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL). This is the largest coalition letter ever sent on COOL. (The Cornucopia Institute is a co-signer of this letter to Congress).

In a letter to Congressional leadership and the Chairmen and Ranking members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, the groups asked that the implementation date be changed to September 2007.

“Producers deserve the right to differentiate their products as Made in the U.S.A.,” NFU President Tom Buis said. “And consumers deserve the right to know where their food comes from. Country-of-origin labeling is a win-win for both groups.”

A COOL provision requiring retailers to notify consumers of the country-of-origin of beef, pork, lamb, produce, peanuts and seafood was included in the 2002 Farm Bill. Yet through a series of back room deals, riders have been added to “must pass legislation” that prohibited the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from actually implementing the law, with the exception of seafood. The current COOL implementation date is September 2008.

“We represent millions of Americans that continue to stand united in support of this valuable program,” the groups said. “Consumers and producers have grown impatient with the backdoor delays and the rhetoric of packers, processors and retailers that flies in the face of common sense.”

Consumer surveys have consistently shown overwhelming public support for mandatory COOL and the implementation of mandatory COOL on farm-raised and wild-caught seafood has proven successful and popular.