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MFU fights repeal of mandatory food labeling
"The proponents of voluntary COOL are companies that import cheaper, often lower-quality food products from other countries. They fear U.S. consumers would prefer to buy U.S.-origin food, and these fears are reasonable."
--Russ Kremer, president, MFU
Missouri
Missouri Farmers Union has launched a grassroots effort to discourage U.S. House Agriculture Committee members from repealing a law requiring grocery stores to label certain foods with origin information.
On July 22, the House Agriculture Committee considered legislation to repeal the mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) law and, instead, maintain a voluntary labeling system. MFU is enlisting farmers, ranchers and consumers to petition committee members against the voluntary legislation.
"Voluntary country-of-origin labeling is sort of like voluntary taxation. It just isn't realistic," said MFU President Russ Kremer.
Kremer explained that a voluntary labeling system has been available for years, but packers, processors and retailers have refused to participate. "The proponents of voluntary COOL are companies that import cheaper, often lower-quality food products from other countries," Kremer said. "They fear U.S. consumers would prefer to buy U.S.-origin food, and these fears are reasonable."
In January, National Farmers Union released the results of a national survey that shows 82 percent of consumers want country-of-origin information on their food and 85 percent would be more inclined to buy food produced in theUnited States.
"Mandatory COOL is a useful information tool for consumers and a valuable marketing tool for U.S. farmers and ranchers, especially with the continued increases in imported food," said Kremer.
Instead, Kremer said Farmers Union supports a substitute offered by Reps. Dennis Rehberg, R-Mont., and Collin Peterson, D-Minn., that he believes more adequately addresses the concerns and controversies surrounding implementation of the mandatory COOL program. Missouri Farmers Union is asking agriculture producers and consumers to call their representatives immediately to urge them to "keep COOL" and support the Rehberg-Peterson substitute.
Date: 7/22/04
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