Country of Origin
Labeling
COOL
Welcome to the K-State
Country of Origin Labeling livestock-based website. Because a great deal
of controversy has arisen in response to the new COOL law and guidelines,
this website presents information on the pros and cons. Many of the
documents are opinions based on personal interpretation of the 2002 Farm
Bill and the USDA's voluntary guidelines. These may be of help to you in
forming your own opinions. However, the actual law and the guidelines are
also presented for your review.
The USDA is required by law to issue
regulations that become mandatory on September 30, 2004. It is assumed that
the USDA will then provide the information needed for producers, packers,
suppliers and retailers to establish recordkeeping systems to verify country
of origin. Until then, the website has also included suggestions by USDA and
others regarding the documentation and verification of country of origin.
The collection of documents on this website
is hardly complete and will be updated as needed. News items will also be
added as they occur. If you know of information that needs to be added
please let us know.
A COOL Review - Country of
Origin Labeling - Kansas State
University's review of the COOL law and
voluntary guidelines.
Voluntary COOL
The Meat Promotion Act of 2005, H. R. 2068 -
House Agriculture Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA)
and 33 co-sponsors introduced a bill on May 4, 2005 that would create a
voluntary COOL program for meat only.
H. R.
2068 Sponsors - Sponsor list.
Goodlatte
Introduces Voluntary Country-of-Origin Labeling (V-COOL) Legislation
- House Agriculture Committee
Chairman Bob Goodlatte today introduced voluntary country-of-origin labeling
(V-COOL) legislation, H.R. 2068, for the domestic meat industry. Goodlatte
introduced the legislation with 33 cosponsors and comes in response to
mandatory provisions in the 2002 Farm Bill requiring retailers to inform
consumers of the country-of-origin at the final point of sale for covered
commodities. News from the House Agricultural Committee, May 4, 2005.
Proposed
Mandatory Rules
Mandatory Country of
Origin Labeling of Beef, Lamb, Pork, Fish, Perishable Agricultural
Commodities, and Peanuts; Proposed Rule (Text
format) - USDA's proposed mandatory COOL rules published in the
Federal Register on October 30, 2003. It includes
explanations for the proposed rules and specific requests for public
comment.
Laws
2002 Farm Bill -
Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of
2002 (PDF) -
This is the entire 2002 Farm Bill. The Country of Origin is
three pages long and is listed below.
Subtitle D-Country
of Origin Labeling (PDF) - The section from the 2002 Farm Bill (listed above) that contains
the COOL law.
Farm Bill COOL provision
amended by Sec. 208 of the 2002 Supplemental Appropriations Act - This ammendment specifically with wild fish.
The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (PDF) - The Country of Origin Labeling Law in the Farm Bill was an
amendment to the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946.
Guidelines
Establishment of
Guidelines for the Interim Voluntary Country of Origin Labeling of Beef,
Lamb, Pork, Fish, Perishable Agricultural Commodities, and Peanuts - The voluntary guidelines for COOL, currently in effect, which
will be used in the development of the mandatory regulations.
Interim Voluntary Country of
Origin Labeling - Questions and Answers - Answers to specific questions on information contained in the
COOL voluntary guidelines.
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