USCA (December 16, 2015) - United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) President Danni Beer issued the following statement on the Fiscal Year 2016 omnibus legislation language:
“U.S. cattle producers are extremely disappointed with the addition of COOL repeal language in the FY 2016 omnibus package.”
“Instead of acting on a constructive approach to allow the flow of country of origin information via a voluntary program as offered by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and John Hoeven (R-ND), our industry is taking significant steps backward in informing consumers and their right to know the origin of their food.”
“It is disheartening that with over 60 countries having country of origin labeling for food, foreign consumers will now have greater access to identifying US Beef than US consumers. In a society that continues to demand more information from its food producers, the pending legislation will deny that transparency to consumers.”
“Instead of taking a concerted approach to addressing the issue and available options, Congress is deferring to Canada, Mexico and the multinational meat packers who continue to only support a full repeal of COOL. The prescriptive approach offered by the Stabenow-Hoeven voluntary bill would have maintained the definition of the “US Beef” label, now consumers will be left with confusion and deception in the marketplace.”
USCA thanks the Senators who chose to stand with US producers and US consumers by supporting the Stabenow-Hoeven modified approach to COOL:
Sen. John Hoeven [R-ND]
Sen. Debbie Stabenow[D-MI]
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp[D-ND]
Sen. Chuck Grassley [R-IA]
Sen. Amy Klobuchar[D-MN]
Sen. John Thune[R-SD]
Sen. Sherrod Brown [D-OH]
Sen. Michael B. Enzi[R-WY]
Sen. Mike Rounds [R-SD]
Sen. Robert P. Casey Jr. [D-PA]
Sen. Ron Wyden [D-OR]
Sen. Patty Murray[D-WA]
Sen. Claire McCaskill[D-MO]
Sen. Tammy Baldwin[D-WI]
Sen. Bill Nelson [D-FL]
Sen. Angus S. King, Jr. [I-ME]
Sen. Mazie K. Hirono [D-HI]