http://www.sierratimes.com/03/02/11/arpubmt021103.htm Country of Origin Labeling Act Unraveled The Sierra Times Published 02. 11. 03 at 16:46 Sierra Time
Billings, MT-According to the Country of Origin Labeling Act (COOL Act) passed by Congress and signed into law by the President on May 13, 2002, the Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) of the United States Department of Agriculture is required to implement country of origin labeling in two distinct steps. First, the Act required AMS to issue guidelines for the voluntary implementation of COOL no later than September 30, 2002. Second, the Act requires AMS to promulgate regulations for the implementation of mandatory COOL no later than September 30, 2004. On October 11, 2002, AMS issued guidelines for the voluntary implementation of COOL and provided the public with a 6-month period to submit comments regarding the "utility of these guidelines." Thus, the only applicable rules for implementing COOL are the voluntary guidelines, and comments on these guidelines are not due until April 9, 2003. Meanwhile, on November 21, 2003, AMS surprised the entire industry by announcing the cost of voluntary COOL would be $2 billion. R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America (R-CALF USA) and several other organizations filed a request for all the documents AMS used in support of its estimate. The documents revealed that AMS consulted with only three industry trade associations in generating its estimate. The three trade associations are: National Meat Association (NMA), National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), and the National Food Processors Association (NFPA). The NPPC was a prominent opponent during Congressional consideration of COOL. The NMA and the NFPA are members of the Food Industry Trade Coalition (FITC) and cosigners on a March 5, 2002, letter to Congress which stated, "The Food Industry Trade Coalition (FITC) urges you to oppose mandatory country of origin labeling language in the final version of the Farm Bill." R-CALF USA COOL Committee Chair Danni Beer said, "As a producer organization, we are concerned that AMS would consult only with the most prominent opponents of COOL when attempting to arrive at a legitimate cost estimate." The AMS wrote in the October 11, 2002, Federal Register that the regulations for mandatory COOL will also be developed through a rulemaking process and AMS will again allow an opportunity for public comments. However, the rulemaking process for mandatory COOL has not yet begun, and AMS has not yet asked for public comments. During the current voluntary stage of COOL, no one is obligated to label products. However, if retailers choose to label, the AMS has established guidelines that must be followed in order to use the USA label. According to Beer, the problem with the voluntary guidelines is that AMS has no authority to enforce the provisions of guidelines and the packers and retailers are given discretion on how to verify claims of origin. "This is precisely why we support only mandatory labeling. We need an enforceable, federal law that establishes reasonable conditions that packers and retailers must accept as proof of origin. Producers should not be subject to arbitrary conditions the packing industry is trying to impose in an attempt to kill COOL," Beer said. Beer referenced letters circulated by Swift & Company which is arbitrarily requiring a "USDA certified third-party" verifier, and a letter by IBP that suggests domestic meat may not be able to be sold in retail food chains. "These letters are designed for the sole purpose of weakening producer support for COOL," said Beer. Beer suggested producers should ignore the scare tactics of the meatpackers and retailers during this voluntary phase and they should, instead, begin focusing on what kinds of rules are needed for mandatory COOL. "R-CALF USA is committed to making mandatory COOL work and we will continue offering AMS cost-effective standards for verifying origin," she said. Beer said producers should call AMS Administrator A.J. Yates at 202-720-5115 and AMS Associate Deputy William Sessions at 202-720-5705 to register their concerns regarding how the COOL implementation process is being handled for U.S. cattle producers. Beer also stated that R-CALF USA further urges those cattle organizations which supported voluntary COOL to step to the plate to help their members address the many false rumors that are circulating during this voluntary phase of COOL. ______________________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden
