US meat labels to note country of origin

[Mojorabbit]

Source: AP

1 hour, 59 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - The House Agriculture Committee voted Thursday night to require country of origin labels on meats beginning next year, striking a compromise as reports of tainted food from China raise consumer awareness about imported food safety.
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After days of negotiations between both sides, the committee agreed to allow the mandatory labels but soften penalties and burdensome record-keeping requirements that had concerned many food retailers and meatpackers who opposed the law. The committee adopted by voice vote the labeling changes just before it approved a five-year farm law that would govern agriculture programs.

The Agriculture Department never put in place the 2002 law requiring the labels because then-majority Republicans repeatedly delayed it, most recently to 2008.

"I think that both (sides) gained momentum in the news of recent weeks," said Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, a South Dakota Democrat who has long pushed for the labeling, which would help smaller, independent ranchers in her home state who face competition from Canadian beef.

China is working to clean up its drug and food industries, which are under international scrutiny after substandard Chinese goods have been rejected around the world as dangerous.

Herseth Sandlin and others, including consumer groups, were most concerned that meats could not be given a USA label unless the animals were born, raised and slaughtered in the United States.

"There has to be some reflection of the fact that these animals were born elsewhere," Herseth Sandlin said after the vote.

The agreement maintains that standard, but it also allows the labels to list the United States as one of several countries of origin if the meat is mixed.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070720/ap_on_bi_ge/food_labeling;_ylt=Aq_esJMb3J0jYGcTRKemBW2yBhIF

[4dsc]

1. I simply won't buy Chinese food

Lets put these labels on the food so I can boycott buying the crap!

[patricia92243]

2. Me too!

[patricia92243]

3. Me too!

[bronxiteforever]

4. Agreed-no way-Walmartification of the food and drug industry has to stop

Food and drugs under US standards (as crappy as they are but we can change that)

[Doremus]

6. We don't import any chicken from China.

Does anyone know the numbers for beef and pork (if any)?

We do import a great deal of China's fish and seafood and we've all heard the horror stories. If for nothing else, this bill is a necessity.

[Lance_Boyle]

7. we don't import any CHINESE chicken from China

we DO import American chicken parts from China - sent there for "processing."

[parkia00]

9. How about a Chinese restaurant?

Would you still eat any food from an Asian restaurant because they use Asian ingredients.

[underpants]

5. This is a step in the right direction but why the compromise?

:shrug:

I want to know where my food comes from...well actually I do but that is my doing. What we need is that we know where every component of the food comes from. If this is just so burdensome that you don't want to do it anymore get out of the way someone else will surely be more than willing to make the money you don't feel like putting in the effort to make.

[kath]

8. It's likely that they've "softened the penalties" and decreased the record-keeping to the point

where many of the labels won't be truthful.

So what's the frickin' point?! AAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!


I also want to know where EVERY COMPONENT of the food comes from, dammit.

[dkofos]

10. These laws have been on the books since at least 2002.

It's past time to begin enforcement.
Instead of weakening the law congress needs to strengthen it and begin enforcing it within 60 days.

FUCK THE MEAT LOBBY

[MrsMatt]

17. yes, it was included in the 2002 farm bill

Country Of Origin Labeling (COOL)

http://www.ams.usda.gov/cool/

wish it would be implemented.

[yy4me]

11. And why do we have to wait until next year? Are we giving

the importers time to figure a way to beat the labeling requirement. You know, ship Chinese stuff to Australia and then to us as Australian product. We need origin labeling now. And none of the "distributed by" baloney!

[brentspeak]

12. "China is working to clean up its drug and food industries"

Pardon me while I laugh.

AP: the neo-liberal mouthpiece.

[anitar1]

13. I have a RIGHT to know where food comes from.

May god damn them. I remember when our Congress people voted to hide countries of origin. Also to hide ingredients. Our representatives did this to us back down the road. Also not to list weather or not food has been irradiated ect. I buy only local food. I do not trust any of the corporations, therefor , I do not shop the big chains anymore.

[brentspeak]

14. Actually, Congress voted to pass some country-of-origin-labeling several years ago

But Bush has unilaterally been changing the law every year since, delaying the provisions:

On May 13, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, more commonly known as the 2002 Farm Bill. One of its many initiatives requires country of origin labeling for beef, lamb, pork, fish, perishable agricultural commodities and peanuts. On January 27, 2004, President Bush signed Public Law 108-199 which delays the implementation of mandatory COOL for all covered commodities except wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish until September 30, 2006. On November 10, 2005, President Bush signed Public Law 109-97, which delays the implementation for all covered commodities except wild and farm-raised and shellfish until September 30, 2008. As described in the legislation, program implementation is the responsibility of USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service.

http://www.ams.usda.gov/cool/

[piedmont]

15. Uh, so, NOTHING done about gluten, glycerol, etc.?

"The agreement maintains that standard, but it also allows the labels to list the United States as one of several countries of origin if the meat is mixed."

f'ing ridiculous.

[robcon]

16. It's about time.

The USDA regulates meat labeleing, while the FDA regulates the labeling of rest of food. Both agencies should adopt the same standards as the regulation of other products' labels - country of origin should be shown.

If it's required for a computer or a car, it should be required for food.