The Prairie Star: Montana Ag Newspaper

SAN LUCAS, Calif. - A survey, released on Tuesday, July 10, shows 92 percent of U.S. consumers support country of origin labeling (COOL) for food products including meat.

U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) COOL Committee chairman Danni Beer, South Dakota, said the survey demonstrates overwhelming consumer desire for meaningful country of origin labeling information.

"The survey results show an increasing consumer interest in knowing not only how food is produced, but also where food originates from. Recent food safety scares surrounding imported products have heightened consumer awareness about the lack of country of origin labeling information available to them," noted Beer. "Implementation of the COOL law has been delayed twice since it was passed in 2002. It’s time to get the rules written and for the law to be implemented. Clearly, it’s what consumers want."

The survey was conducted with 10,004 telephone interviews between June 7-10. Consumer Reports magazine is published by the nonprofit organization Consumers Union.

COOL became law with passage of the 2002 Farm Bill. However, the program was only implemented for seafood when funding to support the law’s implementation for other commodities was withheld by Congress during the appropriations process.

"The Louisiana Shrimp Association is pleased that labeling regulations are in place so consumers can identify shrimp from China and other countries where food safety standards are in question,” said A.J. Fabre, President of the Louisiana Shrimp Association. “The U.S. government has funding to inspect less than 2 percent of imports, which means consumers must rely on the country of origin label for the shrimp products they purchase."

Beer said she is not surprised that the Consumer Reports survey shows increased demand for meaningful food labeling. "Survey after survey has shown that a healthy majority of consumers want country of origin labeling. In fact, many surveys show consumers are willing to pay more for food produced in the United States. The evidence is in and it clearly shows U.S. consumers want the information they need to make informed purchasing decisions. The law was passed in 2002. Five years later U.S. producers and consumers are still waiting for implementation of the law. It’s time to implement the law with the full intent of Congress integrated into the law’s application."

"Opponents of COOL have now resorted to scare tactics and intimidation in a desperate attempt to derail the law," continued Beer. "It is very important for producers and consumers to stay focused on truth and fact as we proceed with the rule-writing comment period. I encourage producers and consumers to stay engaged and get comments submitted before the Aug. 20 deadline. The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association has established a COOL Library at www.uscattlemen.org where a host of information can be found, including talking points that can be used to develop individual written comments along with how to submit comments to USDA."

Established in March 2007, USCA is committed to assembling a team to concentrate efforts in Washington, DC to enhance and expand the cattle industry’s voice on Capitol Hill.

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