(Image by Dion Laurent)
Actually, the law passed in 2002, but Republicans have delayed its implementation. Another stupid abandonment of conservatives by Republicans, fumbling the ball to the Dems. Pat S. has the details in this email to Tammy Blog:
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Our friends the Republicans have been delaying implementation of the labeling law passed in 2002.
US Meat Labels to Note Country of Origin
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. 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.
Here’s what Lou Dobbs had to say about the failure to implement the 2002 COOL on July 16th: (I wish I could find a video clip).
KITTY PILGRIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Food from all over the world, consumers may like the variety, but they also want to know where their food is coming from, and they can’t tell.
Laws enacted by Congress in 2002 to require country-of-origin labeling, so-called COOL laws, but powerful lobbying groups pushed back implementation of those laws for most products until 2008.
URVASHI RANGAN, “CONSUMER REPORTS”: In Congress, the delay was done in 2004 and then again another delay was made in 2006. So, there’s definitely been opportunities for country-of-origin labeling to go into effect and it’s most clearly been derailed at least twice.
PILGRIM: The recent discovery of numerous cases of contaminated food, especially from China, have caused health scares. Just this week, popular snacks manufactured in the United States but containing Chinese ingredients were found to be contaminated with salmonella.
A Web site sponsored by the American Meat Institute advocates no country-of-origin labeling, reading: “a coalition of entities who are deeply concerned about the costly, trade distorting, and disruptive nature of mandatory country-of-origin labeling.”
But the American Farmers Union, which represents a quarter- million producers of all types of fruit, vegetables, grain, and other commodities is for country-of-origin labeling.
TOM BUIS, NATIONAL FARMERS UNION: We have been advocating this for about 15 years and actually got it into the 2002 farm bill as part of the law signed in to law by President Bush. Importers have been able to block and delay the implementation time after time after time.
PILGRIM: The USDA said even though the law has been passed, it’s not a final rule. It’s still only a proposed rule.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PILGRIM: Now, the USDA even now is taking more time to implement those proposed rules. They’re in a 60-day open comment period to solicit comment on how the public feels about the rules.
But the law was passed. President Bush signed it. And it’s clear the American public really wants this legislation.
DOBBS: All right, help us all out here. Is this thing the law or isn’t it?
PILGRIM: You know, I went through this about six times with the USDA. They said, it is a law, but it’s still a proposed rule. And, so, until the USDA acts on it, it will not be a final rule.
(CROSSTALK)
Here’s where Dobbs sounds like Tammy’s separated at birth twin:
DOBBS: So, these incompetent, cowardly people — I will call them people — I am going to be generous; I am going to call them people — at the USDA are not implementing a law signed by the president, passed by the Congress, and it’s been five years?
PILGRIM: And they say they’re still soliciting comments, so they can write it…
(CROSSTALK)
DOBBS: OK. I have got a comment.
USDA, listen to me. Start protecting the American consumer. Do your jobs.
And, if it’s the Bush administration, Mr. President, why don’t you just get one thing right in your administration and start protecting consumers?
Is that fair comment?
PILGRIM: It’s pretty clear.
DOBBS: OK.
We will pass that on to the USDA.
What a — unbelievable.
Kitty, thank you very much — Kitty Pilgrim.
And here’s what the American Meat Institute has to say about it.
This web site is sponsored by the American Meat Institute (AMI) and a coalition of entities deeply concerned about the costly, trade distorting, and disruptive nature of mandatory country-of-origin labeling, which was included in the 2002 Farm Bill. In fact, the language in the 2002 Farm Bill is better described as KOIL or Keep Out Import Labels.
I’d like to see more irradiation of foods. This spooks some consumers, but it’s the surest way to deliver bug-free products. Basically, the radiation breaks up the complicated biological molecules, thus killing the bugs, without destroying the nutrients.
As far as labeling goes…Yeah, I’d like to see labels, just because I’d rather buy American if I’ve got a choice. I assume American products are held to a higher standard of hygiene than those from China or elsewhere, but the fact is that food is full of bugs. I mostly try not to think about this, lest I become a “clean freak”, constantly washing myself and living off of the only bug-free food product known to man (vodka, that is).