AFBF: COOL Is Still Not So Hot

The American Farm Bureau Federation said it is concerned that even after the new mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) program takes effect on September 30, there still may be no exclusively U.S. labeled meat available to consumers.

In a letter this week to USDA Undersecretary Bruce Knight, AFBF President Bob Stallman said, “Farm Bureau is concerned about USDA’s interpretation of COOL, as passed by Congress. USDA’s interpretation would allow marketers to use a less- demanding ‘mixed origin’ or ‘from multiple countries’ label, even for meat that was exclusively U.S. born, raised and slaughtered. Instead, AFBF believes meat that is exclusively born, raised and slaughtered in the U.S. should carry an exclusive U.S.- origin label.”

Stallman asked USDA to conduct a “nationwide meat labeling survey” this year to determine how much product, which product and where exclusively U.S.-labeled meat is being sold. The survey, Stallman said, will provide both producers and lawmakers objective information to determine if the COOL law or USDA’s interim final rule on COOL should be amended to better allow for U.S.-origin labels.