Food fight continues

摘要

Thanks to the new farm bill, country-of-origin labeling will be mandatory in two years, but many unanswered questions are maintaining the debate. At a time when patriotism is vogue, you might assume putting the words "Made in the U.S.A." on a package of top sirloins in your local grocery store would spur anything but controversy. But you'd be wrong. The decades-old, country-of-origin labeling (COOL) debate isn't just about what the label should say or what qualifies to get the label. But should thelabel be voluntary or mandatory, how much will it cost and who will pay for it? Some of those questions were answered in a 2002 farm bill provision that makes COOL mandatory for muscle cuts of beef and ground beef after a two-year voluntary program. (See "8 COOL Answers" at right.) The provision, which also applies to several other commodities, requires retailers to inform consumers of a product's country of origin at the final point of sale. Foodservice establishments like restaurants are exempted. Other questions about COOL are in the process of being answered - either through public comments or by Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman, who is expected to issue final guidelines for the voluntary COOL by Sept. 30. She's also required to announce regulations for the mandatory labeling by Sept. 30, 2004.