Country of Origin Labeling Legislation in Both House and Senate

R-CALF United Stock Growers of America, CEO Bill Bullard, says they are pleased with a recently introduced bipartisan mandatory Country of Origin Labeling bill into the House of Representatives. It was introduced by Representative Harriet Hageman, a Republican from Wyoming, and Representative Ro Khanna a Democrat from California. This means there are now MCOOL bills and both the US House and the Senate.

“And what's interesting about the House bill is stronger than the Senate bill, the Senate bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture and US trade ambassador to develop a means of implementing mandatory cool that would be in compliance with a WTO rules and give them six months to do that. And if the two officials can't get that accomplished, then the law will automatically go into effect one year after enactment. But the House bill expressly says that nothing that WTO does or will do or has done will affect the implementation of mandatory country of origin labeling for beef that's very strong and directing Congress to simply ignore the WTO when it comes to this important issue, or US consumers and US producers.”

The House bill also requires USDA to do a study to determine financial detriment to cattle producers.

“During the 10-year period when the USDA was allowing importers to label foreign beef with a product of the USA label.”

One last note, the House version includes a $5,000 per pound penalty for those in violation of the act.