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Ranchers/Consumers Want COOL Info Provided

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Anonymous

Guest
Ranchers Push For Labels On Origin Of Beef



CBS 4 Denver

Jul 2, 2007 10:48 pm US/Mountain



(CBS) SAN FRANCISCO From toxic pet food, to tainted seafood, American shoppers are paying a lot more attention to where food comes from. But knowing the source of what you eat isn't always easy.



Alan Chen can't remember the last time he saw a "Country of Origin" label saying where his seafood, produce or meat was from.



"Personally I'd buy food that's labeled over food that's not labeled," Chen said.



He didn't know a 2002 Farm Bill requires large retailers place labels on perishable foods.



They're common on fruits and vegetables.



We found them on frozen seafood and even stamped on bags of Chinese dace fish found in a Hayward Market.



The FDA recently blocked this imported fish to test for potential toxins.



But beef purchased at two different large retailers did not come with labels noting where the cows came from.



Many cattle ranchers are pushing for labels. Distributors and meatpackers oppose them; arguing labels are a way for American ranchers to imply cheaper foreign competitors offer an inferior product. Grocery stores oppose them because of the costs associated with labeling products. All have powerful lobbies.



The labeling requirement for meat has been delayed twice.



However, Congressional Agriculture committees will discuss the food labeling issue in the coming months. In the meantime, Steve McCarthy with Prather Ranch will continue to label his products even though his small market is exempt from federal rules.



"Create the legislation and push the law forward," Prather said. "Give consumers the chance to make an informed decision. What's so hard about that?"


cbs4denver.com
 

HAY MAKER

Well-known member
I think with the threat of terrorism real and alive all food should be identified as to the orgin.
Why deprive a house wife the ability to choose what she feeds her kids ?
M Cool is not a trade barrier its common sense,let the consumer decide the product,as it should be,if they want a cheaper chinese or Taiwan product so be it,but give the consumer the right to choose................good luck
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
HAY MAKER said:
I think with the threat of terrorism real and alive all food should be identified as to the orgin.
Why deprive a house wife the ability to choose what she feeds her kids ?
M Cool is not a trade barrier its common sense,let the consumer decide the product,as it should be,if they want a cheaper chinese or Taiwan product so be it,but give the consumer the right to choose................good luck

Lookout--HAYMAKER- folks will be calling you names and thinking you're looney for using any type of common sense thinking that would actually suggest that we provide folks the truth about the products they are shopping for...

What you and I used to think of as common honesty, morality, and decency is "bad business" in the eyes of this new world generation of Globalists...
 

Ben Roberts

Well-known member
HAY MAKER said:
Why deprive a house wife the ability to choose what she feeds her kids ?
M Cool is not a trade barrier its common sense,let the consumer decide the product,as it should be,if they want a cheaper chinese or Taiwan product so be it,but give the consumer the right to choose................good luck

And then what are you going to do, when she buys the cheaper?

Best Regards
Ben Roberts
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Ben Roberts said:
HAY MAKER said:
Why deprive a house wife the ability to choose what she feeds her kids ?
M Cool is not a trade barrier its common sense,let the consumer decide the product,as it should be,if they want a cheaper chinese or Taiwan product so be it,but give the consumer the right to choose................good luck

And then what are you going to do, when she buys the cheaper?

Best Regards
Ben Roberts

Without COOL, selling beef is a price game. You know dang well that we can't compete on price, Ben, so why even consider playing?

I think that a checkoff aimed at getting her to buy US will be effective and she will choose ours. It's working in other countries, what makes us so different?
 

HAY MAKER

Well-known member
Ben Roberts said:
HAY MAKER said:
Why deprive a house wife the ability to choose what she feeds her kids ?
M Cool is not a trade barrier its common sense,let the consumer decide the product,as it should be,if they want a cheaper chinese or Taiwan product so be it,but give the consumer the right to choose................good luck

And then what are you going to do, when she buys the cheaper?

Best Regards
Ben Roberts

The same thing I do now when some one buys a cheap pair of shoes/shirt what ever.............realize that's their right,"freedom of choice"the freedom to choose..........think about it,the market will be there for higher quality beef............good luck
 

PORKER

Well-known member
July 09, 2007)
by MEAT&POULTRY Staff

Mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL) involves only red meat and some other commodities sold at retail stores. Poultry and all food service sales are exempt, which makes the argument of "consumers’ right to know" ridiculous, say observers.

Nevertheless, MCOOL is set to take effect in 15 months time. Much of the renewed debate is due to this realization but also because retailers recently stated their position. Based on their experience with having to comply with COOL for seafood, they want all suppliers of red meat and the other commodities affected to indemnify them from any fines or any other costs they might incur if a product is mislabeled. Retailers’ experience with seafood COOL indicates retailers are most likely to be inspected and therefore most likely to be fined, says the Food Marketing Institute, which represents grocery chains.
 

MoGal

Well-known member
they want all suppliers of red meat and the other commodities affected to indemnify them from any fines or any other costs they might incur if a product is mislabeled.


How can a cow/calf producer be held liable for their mislabeling?
Maybe if they hired employees who can read English instead of refusing to learn it?? Sounds like their problem not mine.

I want Country of Origin labeling but we don't need a family history to go with it. There has to be a workable solution.
 

Mike

Well-known member
MoGal said:
they want all suppliers of red meat and the other commodities affected to indemnify them from any fines or any other costs they might incur if a product is mislabeled.


How can a cow/calf producer be held liable for their mislabeling?
Maybe if they hired employees who can read English instead of refusing to learn it?? Sounds like their problem not mine.

I want Country of Origin labeling but we don't need a family history to go with it. There has to be a workable solution.

I took it as the "Retailers" wanted indemnification from the "Supplier" (packer or distributor) if the "Supplier" labeled it wrong.

As COOL is written, the retailer is responsible for the labeling of the meat they sell. Their label can only be as good as the info provided by the "Supplier".
 
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