07/31/07 Cattlemen like House action on mandatory COOL

Washington Ag July 31, 2007 That U.S. House passed 2007 Farm Bill contains language which vastly simplifies the operation of mandatory country of origin labeling for red meat still scheduled to take effect in September of next year. Jack Field, executive vice president of the Washington Cattlemen's Association, says an excellent job was done trying to address several issues cattlemen raised. Field: "Number one, there is clear language in there that would require ranchers to only maintain records that are normal with the normal accounting and business so there isn't a huge litany of paperwork. Signed affidavits will be acceptable and the USDA will also be using animal import documentation and animal health papers to verify origin." Field says those are all things the industry has talked about for 10 years. He says cattlemen are pleased that there will a born and raised in the U.S. label and a separate label for born and raised in foreign country and processed in the U.S. Ground beef will have a list of all countries that contributed to the ground product. Field says the one disappointment is that mandatory labeling for poultry is not included but they will work on that in the Senate. I'm Bob Hoff.