R-CALF: Cattle Producers File COOL Comments
Washington, D.C. – In its comments filed Monday with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), R-CALF USA urged the agency to issue a new proposed rule for country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for beef – without delay – that would build on the progress of COOL for fish, implemented in April 2005 and based on some of the agency’s own actions.
“R-CALF has suggested to USDA several proposed changes to the draft COOL rule for beef that we believe would greatly facilitate the implementation of COOL, as well as lower costs along each step of the production chain,” said R-CALF USA COOL Committee Chair Mike Schultz. “These changes will help address any legitimate concerns about the costs of COOL, while preserving the full benefits of mandatory COOL for producers and consumers. Our proposals can be implemented under the law as currently written, and also are fully compliant with the recent COOL language passed in the House version of the Farm Bill.”
R-CALF USA has proposed the following changes to the draft COOL rule for beef:
1 )Simplify labeling of beef from animals not exclusively born, raised and slaughtered in the U.S.;
2) Simplify labeling of blended products;
3) Allow retailers to rely on pre-labeled products;
4) Allow packers to use import markings to determine origin;
5) Eliminate requirement to document the chain of custody;
6) Eliminate supplier’s duty to demonstrate separate tracking;
7) Reduce the record retention requirement to one year;
8) Specify that supplier affidavits and third-party verification audits are not required.
Another boost to COOL came along this month with an online Zogby poll of 4,508 individuals, which revealed that 90 percent of those surveyed believe that knowing the country of origin of their food will allow them to make safer food choices.
“Now more than ever, COOL matters to consumers, and they deserve the right to know where their food comes from,” Schultz said. “The NCBA (National Cattlemen’s Beef Association) and other meatpacker trade associations have fought COOL from the beginning and have blasted R-CALF for working with consumer groups whose members want COOL. Now that COOL implementation is moving forward, some of these groups have suddenly changed their tune and are claiming credit for the new language in the House version of the Farm Bill. While we’re pleased with this sudden reversal, consumers need to be aware that these groups have always tried to say COOL is not a food safety issue, but in light of recent problems with products from China, that argument is moot.”
Note: To view R-CALF USA’s COOL comments, visit the “Country-of-Origin Labeling” link at www.r-calfusa.com, or contact R-CALF USA Communications Coordinator Shae Dodson. Zogby International conducted interviews of 4,508 adults online. A sampling of Zogby International's online panel, which is representative of the adult population of the US, was invited to participate. The online poll ran from 7/17/07 thru 7/19/07. The margin of error is +/- 1.5 percentage points. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups. Slight weights were added to region, party, age, race, religion, and gender to more accurately reflect the population. To view Zogby’s information, go to: www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1345.
Has R-Calf just now realized that COOL is too costly and cumbersome like so many have said for so long????????????????????????????