Did Congress vote to remove country of origin labeling on meat?
The House of Representatives has voted to repeal country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for beef, pork, and chicken.
Why was cool repealed?
The WTO ruled in December 2015 the U.S. government couldn’t require COOL on meat products because it discriminated against the livestock industries in Canada and Mexico, leaving the U.S. open to retaliatory tariffs from those countries. Congress then proceeded to repeal COOL.
When did country of origin labeling begin?
By the late 19th century, European countries began introducing country of origin labelling legislation. In the 20th century, as markets became more global and trade barriers removed, consumers had access to a broader range of goods from almost anywhere in the world.
Are country of origin labels required on meat?
§§ 451-472, the USDA is charged with ensuring the proper labeling of imported meats and poultry. USDA regulations require COOL on the immediate containers of imported meat. Retail-ready containers of meat and shipping containers of bulk meat must bear country of origin markings.
IS COOL labeling still required?
On December 18, 2015, Congress repealed the original COOL law for beef and pork, as a part of the omnibus budget bill because of a series of WTO rulings that prohibited labels based on country of origin on some products.
Does food have to be labeled with country of origin?
What is COOL? Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) is a consumer labeling law that requires retailers (most grocery stores and supermarkets) to identify the country of origin on certain foods referred to as “covered commodities”.
What products require country of origin labeling?
The 2002 and 2008 Farm Bills and the 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act amended the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to require retailers to notify their customers of the country of origin of muscle cuts and ground lamb, chicken, goat, wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish, perishable agricultural commodities.
Is country of origin a legal requirement?
General rule Unless required under a specific rule (see page on ‘Further mandatory origin labelling’), an indication of country of origin or place of provenance is only mandatory for prepacked products in general where, in its absence, the consumer might be misled as to the true origin of the food.
For what products is country of origin Labelling mandatory?
Contents. You must label your meat, fish or seafood product with its country or place of origin if you’re selling it to the final consumer or mass caterer.
Does country of origin need to be on packaging?
Usual containers imported filled must be marked with the name of the country of origin of the contents of the usual container, unless the contents are marked with the country of origin and the usual containers can be readily opened for inspection of the contents.
What happened to country of origin labeling?
What are country of origin labeling requirements?
Customs regulations state that every foreign product entering the US must be labeled, in English, with the country of origin. This marking must be: Clearly and visibly located on the product, and. Written legibly and permanently.
When did the country of origin labeling Act of 2015 pass?
Jun 10, 2015 at 10:05 p.m. ET. On Passage of the Bill in the House. This was a vote to pass H.R. 2393 (114th) in the House. The Country of Origin Labeling Amendments Act of 2015 would repeal the requirement for meat products to be labeled with their country of origin.
Will country of origin labeling be required for imported commodities?
We have previously reported on proposed Senate legislation that would require country of origin labeling (COOL) for imported commodities sold online. On June 8, 2021, the Senate passed the United States Innovation and Competition Act of 2021 which included the proposed COOL requirements in Section 2510 of the Act.
What is the county-of-origin labeling rule?
The U.S. House voted 300-131 late Wednesday to remove the U.S. County-of-Origin Labeling rule that indicates on packaging of certain meats and foods where the originating animal was born, raised and slaughtered.
Should meat products be labeled with the country of origin?
The Country of Origin Labeling Amendments Act of 2015 would repeal the requirement for meat products to be labeled with their country of origin. Currently meat products must include information on where the animal was bred, raised, and slaughtered.