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KLA offering producer affidavits for COOL complianceKansas The Kansas Livestock Association is providing ranchers, feeders and others in the livestock chain of ownership documents that will allow them to comply with the new mandatory country-of-origin labeling requirements. USDA will begin enforcing provisions of COOL Sept. 30. "All producers should familiarize themselves with the program and make full use of the compliance documents," said KLA President Tracy Brunner, a cattleman from Ramona. Retailers are required by COOL to label covered commodities, including meat products, with information about the item's country of origin. Packers and processors, who sell to supermarkets, must maintain documentation to prove the country of origin of cattle purchased. Cow-calf and stocker producers also are responsible for verifying country of origin on cattle bought and sold. KLA was one of more than 30 livestock organizations and companies that met Aug. 26 in Kansas City to develop universal procedures and documentation for COOL compliance. The principal goal of the meeting was to create documents that efficiently move origin claims along the chain of livestock ownership from the producer to the processing plant. Cow-calf or stocker operators, for example, can sign a "continuous affidavit" that remains on file with primary purchasers and is in effect unless otherwise indicated. Each of the documents developed by the coalition references "firsthand knowledge" of the origin of livestock. Firsthand knowledge can come in the form of producer affidavits, participation in programs compliant with the National Animal Identification System or import markings on the animals. Although the term "firsthand knowledge" is not defined in the interim final regulation, KLA Legal Counsel Allie Devine said a reasonable interpretation would be someone who specifically knows the origin of the livestock because the animals were born on their premises or the person has actual knowledge of where the animals originated. USDA has stated composite affidavits are acceptable. This means an auction market, feedyard or other point where animals from multiple suppliers are combined could use the affidavits of many producers to support its own affidavit of origin to pass along to the next buyer in the chain. Devine said the industry has agreed visual inspection for the presence or absence of foreign origin markings constitutes firsthand knowledge of origin. Such inspections may be used to support an affidavit of origin. "Visual inspection for markings to support affidavits of origin builds on accepted and known industry practices, avoids burdensome paperwork and is immediately available," said Devine. Affidavits available on the KLA website are designed for use by cattle owners in all segments and apply to a variety of potential changes of ownership. To access these forms for use in verifying country of origin, producers can go to www.kla.org and print the documents or call KLA at 785-273-5115. KLA is a trade organization representing the state's beef business on legislative, regulatory and industry issues at both the state and federal levels. The association's work is funded through voluntary dues dollars paid by its members. 9/15/08 Date: 9/11/08 Advertisement
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