Bi-Partisan Senate Bill Advances COOL Implementation
BILLINGS, MONT. (July 1, 2005) R-CALF USA is pleased to learn that Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., and Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., this week introduced legislation that would require implementation of Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (M-COOL) by January 30, 2006.
Cosponsors include Max Baucus, D-Mont., Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., Conrad Burns, R-Mont., Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., Michael Enzi, R-Wyo., and John Thune, R-S.D.
The full Senate is expected to consider the agricultural spending bill in July. Members are working hard to advance this bill in a strong bi-partisan fashion. R-CALF USA applauds this cooperative effort by all the Senators to provide consumers with more information about the food they feed their families.
"R-CALF thanks the Senators for their work on Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling, because for far too long, a good law has been delayed through the efforts of opposing groups," said South Dakota rancher Danni Beer, who chairs R-CALF USA's COOL Committee. "The time has come to give U.S. consumers what they want, and that's the information regarding the origin of their beef."
The 2002 Farm Bill included a provision that would have implemented M-COOL on Sept. 30, 2004. Opponents, including the meatpacking industry and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), were successful in delaying implementation of the law until Sept. 30, 2006. Now these special interest groups want to delay implementation again to 2007, and persuaded the House of Representatives to push back M-COOL to 2007. Fortunately, the Senate champions of U.S. cattle producers and consumers are fighting back, trying to advance rather postpone the start of M-COOL.
"U.S. cattle producers want the ability to remain competitive here in the U.S. – the largest beef-consuming nation in the world – and to be competitive, we need the ability to differentiate our superior product, which is produced under higher standards," said Beer. "With multiple trade agreements looming on the horizon, mandatory labeling has never been more important. Timely implementation is vital."
R-CALF USA, along with the many producer and consumer organizations that successfully passed M-COOL in the 2002 Farm Bill, believe they have already waited too long for the law to be implemented.
"We look forward to working with our broad coalition in the House and Senate to implement Mandatory COOL as quickly as possible," Beer said.
R-CALF USA encourages producers and consumers to contact their Senators to urge them to co-sponsor this legislation.
For more information about M-COOL, including Congressional voting records, academic studies, and state labeling laws, please visit www.r-calfusa.com and select "Country-of-Origin Labeling."
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R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on domestic and international trade and marketing issues. R-CALF USA, a national, non-profit organization, is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA's membership consists primarily of cow-calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and feedlot owners. Its members – over 18,000 strong – are located in 47 states, and the organization has over 60 local and state association affiliates, from both cattle and farm organizations. Various main street businesses are associate members of R-CALF USA. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or, call 406-252-2516.
BILLINGS, MONT. (July 1, 2005) R-CALF USA is pleased to learn that Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., and Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., this week introduced legislation that would require implementation of Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (M-COOL) by January 30, 2006.
Cosponsors include Max Baucus, D-Mont., Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., Conrad Burns, R-Mont., Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., Michael Enzi, R-Wyo., and John Thune, R-S.D.
The full Senate is expected to consider the agricultural spending bill in July. Members are working hard to advance this bill in a strong bi-partisan fashion. R-CALF USA applauds this cooperative effort by all the Senators to provide consumers with more information about the food they feed their families.
"R-CALF thanks the Senators for their work on Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling, because for far too long, a good law has been delayed through the efforts of opposing groups," said South Dakota rancher Danni Beer, who chairs R-CALF USA's COOL Committee. "The time has come to give U.S. consumers what they want, and that's the information regarding the origin of their beef."
The 2002 Farm Bill included a provision that would have implemented M-COOL on Sept. 30, 2004. Opponents, including the meatpacking industry and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), were successful in delaying implementation of the law until Sept. 30, 2006. Now these special interest groups want to delay implementation again to 2007, and persuaded the House of Representatives to push back M-COOL to 2007. Fortunately, the Senate champions of U.S. cattle producers and consumers are fighting back, trying to advance rather postpone the start of M-COOL.
"U.S. cattle producers want the ability to remain competitive here in the U.S. – the largest beef-consuming nation in the world – and to be competitive, we need the ability to differentiate our superior product, which is produced under higher standards," said Beer. "With multiple trade agreements looming on the horizon, mandatory labeling has never been more important. Timely implementation is vital."
R-CALF USA, along with the many producer and consumer organizations that successfully passed M-COOL in the 2002 Farm Bill, believe they have already waited too long for the law to be implemented.
"We look forward to working with our broad coalition in the House and Senate to implement Mandatory COOL as quickly as possible," Beer said.
R-CALF USA encourages producers and consumers to contact their Senators to urge them to co-sponsor this legislation.
For more information about M-COOL, including Congressional voting records, academic studies, and state labeling laws, please visit www.r-calfusa.com and select "Country-of-Origin Labeling."
# # #
R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on domestic and international trade and marketing issues. R-CALF USA, a national, non-profit organization, is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA's membership consists primarily of cow-calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and feedlot owners. Its members – over 18,000 strong – are located in 47 states, and the organization has over 60 local and state association affiliates, from both cattle and farm organizations. Various main street businesses are associate members of R-CALF USA. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or, call 406-252-2516.