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M-COOL BEFORE USDA's OTM Rule

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Anonymous

Guest
May 3, 2007

Cattlemen Support Legislation to Implement COOL
Before USDA Continues with OTM Rule


Washington, D.C. - U.S. cattle producers were pleased to learn that just this afternoon Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., introduced legislation that would prohibit the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from allowing the importation of Canadian cattle that are over 30 months (OTM) of age, and beef derived from Canadian cattle over 30 months of age until country-of-origin labeling (COOL) is implemented.

Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D. and Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., are co-sponsors of the legislation. R-CALF USA encourages other members of the Senate to co-sponsor the bill, and hopes that similar legislation will be brought forward from the U.S. House of Representatives.

"COOL has been a law on the books since the passage of the 2002 Farm Bill, and we're grateful that Congress is taking the lead to prevent higher-risk Canadian cattle and beef from entering the U.S. without at least giving consumers information about where the cattle and beef originated," said R-CALF USA COOL Committee Chair Mike Schultz. "Consumers have made it very clear they want to know where there food comes from. It's just unfortunate that Canada's many problems with BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) are what it took to get this train moving again.

"R-CALF wants Congress to force USDA to obey the law and implement COOL, and we're willing to work with Congress to make sure that USDA writes a COOL rule for beef patterned after COOL rule for fish and shellfish - a rule based on common sense that won't financially overburden anyone - producers, packers or the retailers," he continued. "In fact, once COOL is in place for beef, U.S. cattle producers may very well see more demand for their product, with the end result being the ability to command a higher price for beef from cattle born, raised and slaughtered here in the United States.

"COOL would at least allow consumers to distinguish imported product from domestic product, and that's critically important if USDA keeps trying to relax our border protections," Schultz said.

R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard pointed out many consumers have the misperception that the USDA inspection sticker on products means the item was produced right here in the United States.

"The USDA inspection sticker is placed on all products - imported or domestic - and some imported beef actually is marked with the USDA quality grade stamp," Bullard explained. "COOL is an essential informational and educational tool for consumers who are particular about the food they feed their families.

Bullard said that R-CALF USA members want protections against Canada's BSE problem that go beyond country-of -origin labeling, but the implementation of COOL would be an important first step in developing a comprehensive strategy that helps insulate the U.S. cattle herd and U.S. consumers from disease problems of other countries.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Dorgan Bill to Pressure USDA to Implement COOL

USAgNet - 05/04/2007



In the wake of reports that yet another Canadian cow has been found to have BSE, or "Mad Cow Disease," U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) introduced legislation Thursday that would prevent the U.S. Department of Agriculture from expanding imports of Canadian cattle until the agency implements a system that allows consumers to see in which country their meat was produced.


That system, known as Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) was scheduled, by law, to be in place by September 30, 2004. The Bush Administration, however, has delayed its implementation several times. It is now not scheduled to be in place until September 30, 2008.



Currently cattle from Canada younger than 30 months, and boxed beef are allowed to enter this country. In January, the Bush Administration proposed allowing animals older than 30 months to enter the U.S.sometime later this year.



"There is no longer any excuse for delaying implementation of COOL," Dorgan said Thursday. "Consumers have the right to know where their meat is coming from, and to make their own decision - fully informed decisions - about whether they want to be putting beef from Canada on their dinner table, under the current circumstances. It is clear that Canada has a continuing problem with Mad Cow Disease, and American families have a right to know whether their beef is coming from Canada."


"This eleventh case of BSE in Canada is just the latest in a series of warning signs USDA has chosen to ignore," Dorgan said. "It makes no sense to move forward so quickly with this plan to resume imports of Canadian beef when it poses such a clear risk to an important industry here in America."


"I feel bad that the Canadians are having problems, but we have an obligation to look after our own beef industry first, and I'm going to keep pushing to make sure this decision is based on sound science, not politics."



Senators Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Mike Enzi (R-WY) joined Dorgan as co-sponsors.



usagnet.com
 

HAY MAKER

Well-known member
This sez it all..............""I feel bad that the Canadians are having problems, but we have an obligation to look after our own beef industry first, and I'm going to keep pushing to make sure this decision is based on sound science, not politics."

And I am sure if the tables were turned, my Canadian neighbors would feel the same....................good luck
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Food Safety Events Escalate Need for Mandatory COOL



Source: USCA



San Lucas, Calif. (May 14, 2007) ~ The melamine contamination scandal that began last March in pet food has expanded in recent weeks to include feed given to hogs, chickens, and farm-raised fish. The revelation that a tainted product can move so quickly through the supply chain and contaminate product bound for American dinner tables is troubling to consumers and producers alike.



The United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) is asking the federal government to implement mandatory country of origin labeling (M-COOL) at the soonest possible date in order to maintain consumer confidence.



“It is imperative that U.S. consumers know where their food comes from,” says Region X Director and COOL Committee Chairperson Danni Beer. “USCA implores the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to implement M-COOL for beef and fresh fruits and vegetables as soon as possible. The American public deserves the ability to make informed choices about the products they consume, beginning with the food we feed to our families.”



Mandatory country of origin labeling was passed as part of the 2002 Farm Bill, but the USDA has until September 30, 2008, to implement the rule. However, implementation of M-COOL is not the only barrier to providing consumers with accurate and complete food labeling information.



In 2003, the GAO reported that the Tariff Act still requires that imported items be marked with their country of origin through to the ultimate purchaser,who generally would be the consumer. However, there is debate on which agency actually has authority to enforce the Tariff Act. USDA contends that the Federal Meat Inspection Act provides that imported meat products, once they have undergone safety-related inspection activities, and are “deemed and treated as domestic.”



These two Acts overlap each other with two different enforcement agencies, resulting in confusion. USCA believes this confusion was alleviated by country of origin labeling provisions in the 2002 Farm Bill and that USDA has the responsibility to work with other agencies and write a Final Rule for labeling meat products that is definitive, efficient, and economical. Lack of clarity on this issue is providing a loophole for processors and importers and prevents consumers from knowing where a product came from.



“The United States has a number of firewalls in place that make food products - particularly beef, born, raised, and processed domestically - the healthiest, most wholesome food in the world,” says COOL Committee member and Region V Director Chuck Kiker. “These firewalls are accomplished through government funded agencies, but the only way for taxpayers and producers to take full advantage of the services they pay for is to label food products with their origin. Differentiation of U.S. product is particularly important when the conditions and rules by which we produce food in the U.S. have been instrumental in building our reputation worldwide as producing high quality beef. American, as well as international, consumers must have the ability to choose to purchase food that has been produced through systems they are familiar with and have great confidence in.”



Currently, the only information available to the purchaser is a USDA mark of inspection and the USDA grade stamp. These labels have no value when determining a product’s country of origin because imported beef and cattle are eligible for these recognizable stamps.



"USCA strongly urges the USDA and Congress to implement accurate and transparent food labeling. We hope that, in the future, mandatory country of origin labeling will allow U.S. consumers the right to make more informed decisions about the food they buy,” said Beer.





Established in March 2007, USCA is committed to assembling a team to concentrate efforts in Washington D.C. to enhance and expand the cattle industry's voice on Capitol Hill. For membership forms and other information visit www.uscattlemen.org.



uscattlemen.org
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Coalition Urges Congress to Fund Country-of-Origin Labeling



Washington, D.C. – R-CALF USA has joined dozens of other organizations to request that Congress include in the FY2008 appropriations bill sufficient funds for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to immediately implement mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL).



Today, the coalition sent a formal letter that includes this request to Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., who chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, and to Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. The letter also provides documentation to show food imports have more than doubled since 2000, with the percentage of inspections falling by nearly 40 percent.


“The integrity and safety of the nation’s food supply is in serious jeopardy with our citizens eating an amalgam of food produced elsewhere, with no idea of its source,” the letter states. “It is critically important that our food consumers be provided with information on the source of the food because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and USDA have not established a food safety inspection system sufficient to deal adequately with the tidal wave of food imports included in our food supply…


“Mothers and fathers in the U.S. want to feed their children wholesome and safe food, but cannot do so when the food industry fights origin information,” the letter continues. “Our domestic food safety system, with all its flaws, exceeds that of virtually all other countries…The industry’s claim that labeling is irrelevant to food safety has now become absurd. Many other countries simply do not have our food production and processing regulatory standards, nor do they have the regulatory capacity to enforce even those laws that do exist…



“Consumers do not want to, and cannot, rely entirely on the government,” the letter states. “A meaningful first step is to immediately implement mandatory country of origin labeling for meat and produce. Consumer choice is irrevocably connected with consumer safety.



“Mandatory country of origin labeling was approved by Congress in 2002, has been implemented successfully for seafood, and should no longer be delayed by special interests,” the letter concludes. “Now is clearly the time to fully implement this measure to provide U.S. consumers with critically important information about the integrity and safety of their food choices.”


R-CALF USA members have repeatedly voted to support mandatory country-of-origin labeling so consumers can be informed of the origin of their food.



Note: To view the letter to DeLauro and Kohl, visit the “Country-of-Origin Labeling” link at www.r-calfusa.com.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
'The integrity and safety of the nation’s food supply is in serious jeopardy with our citizens eating an amalgam of food produced elsewhere, with no idea of its source,” OR SAFETY,OUR HEALTH IS AT STAKE along with OUR PETS AND LIVESTOCK
 

mrj

Well-known member
Can't access the website, so can anyone tell me, does R-CALF persist in supporting the useless version of COOL which won't allow consumers to know which US cattleproducer raised the calf, as well as excluding processed and food service beef from the law?

MRJ
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
mrj said:
Can't access the website, so can anyone tell me, does R-CALF persist in supporting the useless version of COOL which won't allow consumers to know which US cattleproducer raised the calf, as well as excluding processed and food service beef from the law?

MRJ

R-CALF supports this version of COOL in spite of the exclusions pushed by NCBA/AMI. We see it as step one. You can't take very big steps when the packers and their boys are pushing against you.

Welcome back, MRJ. Nobody has been around to try to defend NCBA/AMI since you've been gone. This site isn't near as much fun if there isn't anybody to argue with.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
mrj said:
Can't access the website, so can anyone tell me, does R-CALF persist in supporting the useless version of COOL which won't allow consumers to know which US cattleproducer raised the calf, as well as excluding processed and food service beef from the law?

MRJ

Maxine then you say that NCBA is now supporting the M-COOL as long as its tied to Mandatory ID... :???:
 

mrj

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
mrj said:
Can't access the website, so can anyone tell me, does R-CALF persist in supporting the useless version of COOL which won't allow consumers to know which US cattleproducer raised the calf, as well as excluding processed and food service beef from the law?

MRJ

Maxine then you say that NCBA is now supporting the M-COOL as long as its tied to Mandatory ID... :???:

Sandhusker, first, it is sad to see that you have not learned manners, re. use of names while I was unable to post due to technical difficulties.

Now, where in my post did you see any reference to NCBA? Hint: there is none.

My every post, utterance, thought thought does not revolve around that excellent organization, contrary to the usual faulty opinions of some on this site.

MRJ
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
mrj said:
Now, where in my post did you see any reference to NCBA? Hint: there is none.

My every post, utterance, thought thought does not revolve around that excellent organization, contrary to the usual faulty opinions of some on this site.

MRJ

So in other words, you've turned over a new leaf in your 2 month sabbatical from ranchersnet-eh :???: :wink: :lol: :lol:
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
mrj said:
Oldtimer said:
mrj said:
Can't access the website, so can anyone tell me, does R-CALF persist in supporting the useless version of COOL which won't allow consumers to know which US cattleproducer raised the calf, as well as excluding processed and food service beef from the law?

MRJ

Maxine then you say that NCBA is now supporting the M-COOL as long as its tied to Mandatory ID... :???:

Sandhusker, first, it is sad to see that you have not learned manners, re. use of names while I was unable to post due to technical difficulties.

Now, where in my post did you see any reference to NCBA? Hint: there is none.

My every post, utterance, thought thought does not revolve around that excellent organization, contrary to the usual faulty opinions of some on this site.

MRJ
What names? Not thinking of your long-lost son, are you? :lol:
 
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