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September 19, 2008

Country-of-origin labeling requires farmers, producers to document food source

By Mike Surbrugg

msurbrugg@joplinglobe.com

A new page in food labeling begins Oct. 1 when retailers will be required to notify customers of the country of origin for a wide range of products, including fresh vegetables and fruit, nuts and meat. The requirement dates to the 2002 Farm Bill.

Labels must show country or countries of origin for beef, veal, lamb, pork, chicken, goat, wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish, perishable fruit and vegetables, peanuts, pecans, ginseng and macadamia nuts.

“People approached Congress wanting to know where their products came from,” said Billy Cox, spokesperson for the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. “I have even heard some people say they want to buy American.”

The law will allow regulators to trace back to the source any problems found with food.

“There will be regular audits of stores,” he noted. “If we ever get a complaint, we will go into retail establishments and ask for their records.”

Steve Owens, part owner of the Joplin Regional Stockyards on Interstate 44, said the issue will mean more records for producers, as people bringing cattle to the stockyards must sign an affidavit that the animals they’re selling are from the United States. The stockyards will keep the affidavit on file that will remain in effect for future animals that owners sells at the stockyards.

Officials in the cattle industry advise producers to keep records to show birth dates and other data about care given animals and when animals move off their farms for any reason.

He noted that more than 10,000 different producers sell cattle at the stockyards.

The big issue will be getting the affidavits to those owners who have their cattle hauled to the stockyards by others, he said. Cattle haulers are to be provided affidavits that cattle owners can sign before the animals leave their farms. The affidavits start a paper trail that can be traced to and from farms through retail outlets.

Cox said it means a higher cost of doing business to stockyards and other segments in the food chain.

“There is definitely a record-keeping burden on producers,” he added.

Country-of-origin labeling has an estimated first-year implementation cost of $2.5 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The estimated cost to the U.S. economy in higher food costs and reduced food production in the 10th year after implementation is $211.9 million, noted the USDA.



On the Net

To learn more about country-of-origin-labeling, go to www.ams.usda.gov/COOL.

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