Country of Origin Labelling Under Fire
CANADA - Country Of Origin Labelling (COOL) isn't likely to help Canada's beef, pork and lamb industries with sales south of the border if the provision, part of the U.S. Farm Bill, gets congressional approval.Currently, Canadian livestock shipped to the U.S. and slaughtered there is marked as U.S. origin. But under COOL, which could take effect September 30, 2008, only animals born, raised and slaughtered in the U.S. would be considered of U.S. origin. All others would be labelled according to their true country of origin, regardless of where they are slaughtered.
"Beef products of Canada will be labelled as such, and that presents marketing challenges for Canadian beef," Ms. Appleby said.
As currently enacted, COOL would dramatically reduce U.S. market access for Canadian pork and beef producers, stated a release from the Canadian Cattlemen's Association (CCA), which is actively lobbying Ottawa to take action against COOL.
"COOL proposes that cattle must be born and raised in the U.S. to be labelled U.S.," said Ms. Appleby. "That creates cost problems for U.S. retailers/packers who are currently sourcing Canadian beef, as COOL may make it more expensive for them to continue sourcing cattle from here. The U.S. government has previously acknowledged COOL's benefits are small and it has no relation to either human or animal safety."
Source: Northumberland Today
That Old Country Of Origin Labelling Debate
Should we be able to trace each steak, sausage and egg on our plate back to its very birth-spot, or is the whole idea of labelling completely unworkable and financially absurd? It seems everybody in the industry has their own opinion. Rise above the cocophony of contradiction by clicking on any of the links below.
2007-07-23 |
House Ag Committee Compromise Improves COOL Law for Cattlemen |
2007-07-16 | Weekly US Cattle Outlook - MCOOL needs to be amended |
2007-07-14 | NFU Applauds COOL Timeline, Urges Law be Kept Intact |
2007-07-13 | NCBA: Congress Must Fix Country-of-Origin Labeling |
2007-07-12 | Beef and Meat Groups Debate Country-of-origin Labeling |
2007-07-11 | Poll Underscores Value of Existing U.S. COOL for Imported Meat and Poultry |
2007-06-27 | AMI Masterminds Anti-COOL Campaign |
2007-06-14 | House Ag Leader Promises COOL By 2008 |
2007-06-12 | R-Calf Loses Its COOL With American Meat Association |
2007-06-06 | AMI Misleads Congress, Consumers on COOL |
2007-05-10 | Consumers Deserve COOL More Than Ever |
2007-05-02 | Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling— Will It Benefit Customers |
2007-03-01 | NFU to Congress: Implement COOL |
2007-03-01 | COOL should be implemented sooner, not later ............................................ |