05/15/08 Cool and animal ID

Washington Ag May 15, 2008 Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling is supposed to be in place for red meat at retail by the end of September this year. USDA Undersecretary Bruce Knight, who is responsible for implementing COOL, says because the new farm bill in Congress has some language on the labeling program, he can't move forward with rule making until the fate of the farm bill is known. Knight: "So we are in a very, very tight box. What I am concerned about that in that kind of box there will be uncertainty. And you and I all know what happens when there is uncertainty in the marketplace. The marketplace responds to uncertainty with discounts." To provide some market certainty Knight says animal ID will be used as a "safe harbor" for country of origin labeling. He says that means for example, that if cattle are moving through a NAIS compliant system, that is all the records those animals will need to be compliant with COOL. Knight: "Basically a steer sporting an 840 ear tag in its ear carries all the documentation it is ever going to need." Knight points out that by statute USDA cannot just require labeling of imported meat. He says there must be a rule that covers both U.S. origin and imported animals. I'm Bob Hoff.