Labeleing?

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rgv

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Alot of good the new labeleing law is doing. In the supermarket the steaks were marked as USA,Canada and Mexico as country of origin all on the same sticker.

RGV
 
rgv":3kmdcu6j said:
Alot of good the new labeleing law is doing. In the supermarket the steaks were marked as USA,Canada and Mexico as country of origin all on the same sticker.

RGV

Have faith--USDA Secretary Vilsack has indicated yesterday that the final COOL rule as established by the Bush USDA fails to meet Congress' intent in three main areas:

The use of a mixed-origin label on meat from U.S. animals does not provide the specific information that Congress intended to provide to consumers.

The exemption of commodities from labeling requirements because they had been cooked, roasted or cured does not comply with Congress' intent to inform consumers of the origins of the food they purchase.

The provision that allows meat processors to include a country's name on ground meat even when no product is sourced from that country for 60 days does not provide accurate information to consumers as Congress intended.

It is believed Vilsack will issued an official directive soon to the industry to immediately correct these problems......He had a press conference scheduled for today- but for some reason postponed it...

Vilsack calls for stricter food labels



By MARY CLARE JALONICK

The Associated Press-Google

Feb 18, 2009



WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is throwing out food labeling rules proposed by the Agriculture Department just before George W. Bush left office, saying it wants labels for fresh meat and other foods that would show more clearly where an animal or food came from, according to consumer groups who've been briefed on the issue.



Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told several consumer groups Tuesday in a conference call that he will ask the meat industry to voluntarily follow stricter guidelines for new package labels designed to specify a food's country of origin, according to three people who were on the call. If the industry does not comply, the administration will write new rules, according to those who spoke with Vilsack.




The labeling requirements, which would apply to fresh meats and some perishable fruits and vegetables, long have been debated in Congress and were enacted as part of a wide-ranging farm bill last year. While the meat industry and retailers responsible for the labels have protested the changes — saying they are burdensome and could lead to higher prices — consumer groups and northern states ranchers who compete with the Canadian beef industry favor them.



All sides worked out a compromise during debate over the farm bill last year, but much of the law was left open to interpretation by the Agriculture Department. Supporters of the law were not happy with the Bush administration's version of the rules, which they said allowed meat companies to be vague about where an animal was born, raised and slaughtered.



According to those on the call, including Jean Halloran of Consumers Union and Patty Lovera of Food and Water Watch, Vilsack said he would like to see labels that would give consumers a clearer idea about the origin of the animal or food.



Vilsack also said the law should cover more foods, Halloran and Lovera said. Many foods that are defined as "processed" — roasted peanuts, for example, or cured bacon — are exempt from the law, but Vilsack proposed narrowing that definition.



Lovera said she was encouraged by the proposals, which Vilsack is expected to lay out in a letter to the meat industry Wednesday.



"The bottom line is we think people have a right to know and they can act on it based on their own opinions and preferences,"
she said.



The leading opponents of the law have been grocery stores and large meatpacking companies — many of whom mix U.S. and Mexican beef — and other businesses involved in getting products to supermarkets.



The Obama administration's changes could cause problems with the country's North American neighbors. Both Mexico and Canada have protested the labeling law in a complaint to the World Trade Organization. Obama is scheduled to visit Canada this week.



Source: The Associated Press

google.com
 
Vilsack cancels COOL call, plans to issue letter to meat industry

By Tom Johnston on 2/18/2009


Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Wednesday called off a scheduled press teleconference on the final rule for mandatory country-of-origin labeling due to a scheduling conflict, but is expected to issue today a letter to the meat industry regarding his views on the subject, a USDA spokesman confirmed to Meatingplace.

Media reports quoted participants in a separate conference call Tuesday between Vilsack and consumer groups as saying the secretary expressed his intention to ask the meat industry to voluntarily follow more stringent guidelines under COOL, and that if the industry does not comply, the administration would write new rules.
 
Oldtimer":3tcaajuu said:
Vilsack cancels COOL call, plans to issue letter to meat industry

By Tom Johnston on 2/18/2009


Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Wednesday called off a scheduled press teleconference on the final rule for mandatory country-of-origin labeling due to a scheduling conflict, but is expected to issue today a letter to the meat industry regarding his views on the subject, a USDA spokesman confirmed to Meatingplace.

Media reports quoted participants in a separate conference call Tuesday between Vilsack and consumer groups as saying the secretary expressed his intention to ask the meat industry to voluntarily follow more stringent guidelines under COOL, and that if the industry does not comply, the administration would write new rules.

Man that sounds familiar since Jan. 20th.....If it don't work we just make new rules or we'll take our ball and go home. :nod:
 
TexasBred":2sc5jkcj said:
Oldtimer":2sc5jkcj said:
Vilsack cancels COOL call, plans to issue letter to meat industry

By Tom Johnston on 2/18/2009


Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Wednesday called off a scheduled press teleconference on the final rule for mandatory country-of-origin labeling due to a scheduling conflict, but is expected to issue today a letter to the meat industry regarding his views on the subject, a USDA spokesman confirmed to Meatingplace.

Media reports quoted participants in a separate conference call Tuesday between Vilsack and consumer groups as saying the secretary expressed his intention to ask the meat industry to voluntarily follow more stringent guidelines under COOL, and that if the industry does not comply, the administration would write new rules.

Man that sounds familiar since Jan. 20th.....If it don't work we just make new rules or we'll take our ball and go home. :nod:

Well from what I've been told by groups that were involved in the conversation- Secretary Vilsack was quite adament that if the industry did not voluntarily follow the more stringent rules as was written by Congress- and their intent- to give consumers more/truthful information about what country their food products come from- that he would go back thru the rulemaking process and put it into law...
 

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