COOL

[Caustic Burno]

Finally an interesting discussion. Do you men and ladies think that the reason you don't see voluntary Product of the USA on the package is the packers are afraid of exposing the things old timer talked about? Secondly will branded beef eventually be the answer to the problem.

Heres a post I stole off ranchers.net that goes a long way into explaining the problem with the packers and retailers...... and this practice will just get larger as the major meat suppliers like Tyson and Cargill expand their operations into other areas of the world like the expansions going on in Australia and Brazil-- How cheap do you think they can raise beef for in Brazil?

How many on this site knew we import meat from Namibia, Nigeria, or Zambia?----------------------------- Makes me glad I butcher my own beef and seldom eat out--

This package may contain products from: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Federal Republic of Germany, Finland, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iceland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Macedonian, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia.

As you are looking through the meat case for supper and pick up the above package of meat and read the label, what would cross your mind? The next package is US BEEF, born, raised and harvested. Since you are a good shopper and looking for the best value which package would go in your cart?

According to the US Census Bureau on Foreign Trade from January 1, 2004 until July 31, 2004 the above countries provided meat imported into the US, by establishments that slaughter and prepare meats. If you were one of these establishments, would you volunteer information on the origin of the meat in the products you produce?

The big processors would like us to believe it is too expensive to put the country of origin on the label. I think the truth would be processors are afraid the consumer might not buy the geography lesson on the label at any price. The US cattle ranchers and the American consumers need Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL).

I think we need COOL. Now with that I do not believe the government can introduce a cost effective method. I am not willing to shave cents per pound at the salebarn to pay for a system. I do not believe you can get a workable sytem in to play with politicians and political groups like NCBA and R-calf involved.

 

[Texan]

Do you men and ladies think that the reason you don't see voluntary Product of the USA on the package is the packers are afraid of exposing the things old timer talked about?

Ollie, I think the main reason we don't see it now is because there's no standard to source verify at this time that would suit the government and consumer groups. If the packer and retailer tried to advertise something like that, the first thing that would happen would be the "prove it" challenge. How can they do that at this time?

It seems to me like its going to take some front money at some point to get it started. As a producer, I don't want to cough it up. The feeder is probably fixing to drown in his own blood anyway, so he's not gonna want to do it. We know the packer and retailer aren't going to spend any money unless they have to. I would expect them to be content with the status quo until they see the color of money. So........who's money? I still say if its something of value to the consumer, the consumer should pay for it.

Secondly will branded beef eventually be the answer to the problem.

It easily could be. Seems like they are a lot further down the road to source verifying than the commodity beef, in general. Makes me wonder why some of them like CAB/CHB/Laura's haven't already gone the extra steps to verify origin if there is really any money in it.

 

[amazed]

How many on this site knew we import meat from Namibia, Nigeria, or Zambia?----------------------------- Makes me glad I butcher my own beef and seldom eat out--

This package may contain products from: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Federal Republic of Germany, Finland, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iceland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Macedonian, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia.

As you are looking through the meat case for supper and pick up the above package of meat and read the label, what would cross your mind? The next package is US BEEF, born, raised and harvested. Since you are a good shopper and looking for the best value which package would go in your cart?

According to the US Census Bureau on Foreign Trade from January 1, 2004 until July 31, 2004 the above countries provided meat imported into the US, by establishments that slaughter and prepare meats. If you were one of these establishments, would you volunteer information on the origin of the meat in the products you produce?



Now before some of you run to your local coffee shop and list these countries as being guilty of dumping beef on the US market, read it again. It only tells part of the story and and can be easily repeated out of context.

These are countries who have exported MEAT to the US. That includes wild game ( maybe shot by a US hunter and processed into a bit of jerky or something to take home), goat, pork, poultry etc. Some of them also have FMD so it is impossible for them to export BEEF to the US.

Unless COOL is applied to all MEAT it will be an additional cost to BEEF producers that is either passed on to consumers or more likely deducted from the source. That would be you as a producer.

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

Not that it makes one iota of difference to me whether the US has mandatory COOL or voluntary COOL or whatever, but my experience has been that everytime the government steps in and legislates something, I know its going to cost me money. We have mandatory ID up here in Canada. Everytime an animal leaves the property one which it was born, there has to be a bar code tag in its ear. So instead of paying $.25 a tag and tagging my calves at my convenience, I get to spend $2.00 a tag and tag them when they leave my property, convenient or not. If they lose a tag (and they frequently do), I get to pay another $2.00 for a new tag. Yes, its great we have this trace back system but all my beef is grassfed and always has been so if BSE is caused as they believe by contaminated feed, then my animals definitely won't get it. Now, they want to implement a new radio frequency tag for $4-$5 each to make it easier for the people reading the tags. I can't see that being any value to me either but I still have to bear the cost because it is government legislated. Good Luck.