Congresswomen introduce COOL implementation date legislation

Food & Drink Weekly, March 29, 2004

Congresswomen introduce COOL implementation date legislation: Representatives Mary Bono (R-Calif.) and Darlene Hooley (D-Ore.) recently introduced legislation to reinstate the original September 30, 2004, deadline for implementing mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for meat products and fresh produce.

The two lawmakers offered the original language enacted as part of the 2002 Farm Bill, but the deadline was delayed for two years by a provision in the Fiscal Year 2004 omnibus spending bill passed earlier this year. Under the new bill, retailers would be required to provide country-of-origin labeling on fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, peanuts and red meats later this year. While the Senate could propose similar legislation, the measure will not clear Congress. The COOL issue has been eclipsed by the move toward an animal identification (ID) program.