Tommy
Well-known member
U.S. Cattle Producers Praise Senate Efforts
to Restore Mandatory COOL
(Billings, Mont.) – On Thursday, U.S. Senators Conrad Burns, R-Mont., and Max Baucus D-Mont., held a news conference to introduce legislation that will restore implementation of Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling (M-COOL) to Sept. 30, 2006.
Burns and Baucus were joined by fellow U.S. Senators John Thune, R-S.D.; Kent Conrad, D-N.D., Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., Michael Enzi, R-Wyo., Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and Tim Johnson, D-S.D. Additional co-sponsors of the legislation include: U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore.
"R-CALF USA appreciates the continued support of Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling," said R-CALF USA Director of Government Relations Jess Peterson. "Time and again, members
of the senate have stepped to the plate on behalf of U.S. ranchers.
"After the recent passage of the Agriculture Appropriations Conference Report that delayed M-COOL implementation for two more years – until 2008 – it is more important than ever that our champions in the U.S. Senate keep fighting to ensure the timely implementation of M-COOL," Peterson emphasized.
"And after the back door dealings that took place in the recent joint conference meeting, ranchers have continually called and asked what we are going to do to save M-COOL and get implementation back in place," Peterson continued. "These senators today are showing that they are making U.S. ranchers and consumers a top priority, and that we are back in the saddle fighting to get M-COOL."
This bill reverses the recent M-COOL delay and amends the Agriculture Marketing Act of 1946 to restore the original deadline for M-COOL.
"We see this as a way of reaching the ultimate goal of having M-COOL implemented by September 30, 2006, but we still have our work cut out for us to get this law enacted," Peterson noted. "When we get it through the senate, we still face tough opposition from certain legislators in the U.S. House of Representatives who represent the cattle-feeder/meat-packer/retailer states and continue to kowtow to those specific interests. However, we do have champions in the house who support U.S. ranchers and rural America who are working right now to help us implement M-COOL.
"So along with plenty of senate support, ranchers and consumers can rest assured we will get M-COOL implemented," said Peterson. "Ranchers and consumers alike know that we will fight hard to get M-COOL. Like the senators that stood and spoke today, I challenge the house and senate leadership, along with the Administration, to let the process of democracy work.
"We need to place the red, white, and blue stamp, 'U.S. born, raised, and processed' on U.S. beef in 2006," Peterson exclaimed.
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to Restore Mandatory COOL
(Billings, Mont.) – On Thursday, U.S. Senators Conrad Burns, R-Mont., and Max Baucus D-Mont., held a news conference to introduce legislation that will restore implementation of Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling (M-COOL) to Sept. 30, 2006.
Burns and Baucus were joined by fellow U.S. Senators John Thune, R-S.D.; Kent Conrad, D-N.D., Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., Michael Enzi, R-Wyo., Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and Tim Johnson, D-S.D. Additional co-sponsors of the legislation include: U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore.
"R-CALF USA appreciates the continued support of Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling," said R-CALF USA Director of Government Relations Jess Peterson. "Time and again, members
of the senate have stepped to the plate on behalf of U.S. ranchers.
"After the recent passage of the Agriculture Appropriations Conference Report that delayed M-COOL implementation for two more years – until 2008 – it is more important than ever that our champions in the U.S. Senate keep fighting to ensure the timely implementation of M-COOL," Peterson emphasized.
"And after the back door dealings that took place in the recent joint conference meeting, ranchers have continually called and asked what we are going to do to save M-COOL and get implementation back in place," Peterson continued. "These senators today are showing that they are making U.S. ranchers and consumers a top priority, and that we are back in the saddle fighting to get M-COOL."
This bill reverses the recent M-COOL delay and amends the Agriculture Marketing Act of 1946 to restore the original deadline for M-COOL.
"We see this as a way of reaching the ultimate goal of having M-COOL implemented by September 30, 2006, but we still have our work cut out for us to get this law enacted," Peterson noted. "When we get it through the senate, we still face tough opposition from certain legislators in the U.S. House of Representatives who represent the cattle-feeder/meat-packer/retailer states and continue to kowtow to those specific interests. However, we do have champions in the house who support U.S. ranchers and rural America who are working right now to help us implement M-COOL.
"So along with plenty of senate support, ranchers and consumers can rest assured we will get M-COOL implemented," said Peterson. "Ranchers and consumers alike know that we will fight hard to get M-COOL. Like the senators that stood and spoke today, I challenge the house and senate leadership, along with the Administration, to let the process of democracy work.
"We need to place the red, white, and blue stamp, 'U.S. born, raised, and processed' on U.S. beef in 2006," Peterson exclaimed.
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