NCBA Responds to USDA's Final Rule on Mandatory COOL
Source: National Cattlemen's Beef Association
"We are deeply disappointed with this short-sighted action by the USDA," says Scott George, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) president and a Cody, Wyo. dairy and cattle producer, regarding today’s announcement that USDA issued a final rule regarding the mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL).
"Our largest trading partners have already said that these provisions will not bring the U.S. into compliance with our WTO obligations and will result in increased discrimination against imported products and in turn retaliatory tariffs or other authorized trade sanctions," he continues.
"As we said in comments submitted to USDA, ‘any retaliation against U.S. beef would be devastating for our producers.’ While trying to make an untenable mandate fit with our international trade obligations, USDA chose to set up U.S. cattle producers for financial losses. Moreover, this rule will place a greater record-keeping burden on producers, feeders and processors through the born, raised and harvested label," he says.
"As cattlemen and women, we do not oppose voluntary labeling as a marketing tool to distinguish product and add value. However, USDA is not the entity that we want marketing beef, and on its face, a label that says ‘harvested’ is unappealing to both consumers and cattle producers."
