New country of origin labeling for food

U.S. consumers will now know a little more about the foods they put in their grocery carts.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued an interim final rule for a mandatory country of origin labeling program that will take effect Sept. 30.

Commodities covered under the program, also known as COOL, must be labeled at the retail level to indicate their country of origin. They are excluded from the rule when they are an ingredient in a processed food item.

The rule covers muscle cuts of beef and ground beef, including veal; lamb; chicken; goat; and pork, as well as fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, macadamia nuts, pecans, ginseng and peanuts. USDA implemented the COOL program for fish and shellfish in 2004.

Food service establishments such as restaurants, cafeterias, food stands and bars are exempt from the mandatory country of origin labeling requirements.

COOL requirements will not apply to covered commodities produced or packaged before Sept. 30. The rule that goes into effect then includes changes to the program’s record-keeping requirements, as mandated in the 2008 Farm Bill, said Caroline Rydell, a livestock specialist for the American Farm Bureau Federation.

“Growers are very pleased that the only records they’ll need are those maintained in the course of normal business, such as animal health papers, import or customs documents or producer affidavits,” she said.

Mandatory COOL first became law with the 2002 Farm Bill, but implementation has been delayed for a variety of reasons. "It has taken six years to get here, and now the industry will need to adapt some of its recordkeeping in order to meet the requirements," said Spencer Neale, a commodity and marketing specialist for the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. "Right now it appears the biggest challenge may be in the cattle sector, simply due to the marketing methods used and the fact that fall is our busiest time for selling cattle.

“It will take the industry some time to adjust to the new regs. Hopefully the transition will be smooth."

The program includes specific criteria that must be met for a commodity to bear a United States country of origin declaration. It also includes provisions for labeling commodities of foreign origin, meat products from multiple origins, ground meat and commingled commodities.

“The benefits for producers will hopefully outweigh any costs by creating a greater market for U.S. agricultural products,” Rydell said.