Farmers Union Blasts Move To Make Food Labeling Voluntary

The president of the Nebraska Farmers Union is opposing a move in Congress that would essentially kill mandatory Country of Original Labeling for some foods.

The so-called COOL provisions were included in the 2002 federal farm bill.

U.S. Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Charles Stenholm (D-Texas) are backing the repeal in favor of a voluntary system.

"This is preposterous," said Nebraska Farmers Union President John Hansen. "Their so-called voluntary approach is nothing more than the political version of `bait and switch. It is fundamentally dishonest."

If the program becomes voluntary, Hansen said, the meat cartel "will go back to their old ways, which is to ignore effective country-of-origin labeling.

Processors and retailers “make tons of money by blending cheaper priced and lower grade cuts with our domestic production,” Hansen said. “We simply cannot trust these coyotes to guard our chicken coop.”

The meat industry has for years had the option to voluntarily provide accurate food labeling and has failed to do so, he said.

 

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