05/02/07 COOl might not be so Cool

Bring up the topic of country- of -origin labeling, otherwise known as COOL with cattle producers and you get a response as varied as cuts of meat. Some regard COOL as an Orwellian Big Brother tactic while others are proud to slap a USA made label on their product. One thing is certain, COOL will increase the work load of the cattle producer by requiring detailed herd inventory records, receipts, calving books and tagging systems. Currently Congress is getting pressured to implement COOL for meat and peanuts prior to the original date scheduled to become law on September 30. 2008 but so far COOL has been received coolly by seafood consumers . The 2 ½ year process to label seafood has according to the Food Marketing Institute cost the supermarket industry 10 times more than the original USDA estimate and we all know who absorbs that extra cost , meaning in many cases consumers will forgo national pride and opt for less expensive imports. Let's hope Cool isn't simply another means by which competitors can gain a foot hold in the US beef market .