COOL Remains Under Fire But You Can Help Defend It

The National Farmers Union along with several other consumer and farm groups have started a legal defense fund to help defray the costs of defending U.S. Country of Origin Labeling rules from a lawsuit recently filed by several corporate agriculture interests.

Initial estimates for the cost of joining the lawsuit in defense of USDA and COOL ranged from $150,000 to $200,000, but due to legal maneuvers by the plaintiffs, some estimates are reaching the $300,000 range.

NFU has partnered with U.S. Cattlemen’s Assoc., American Sheep Industry Assoc. and Consumer Federation of America to defend COOL against the National Cattlemen’s Beef Assoc., National Pork Producers and the American Meat Institute among other ‘Big Ag’ interests. The defenders of COOL recently won a preliminary victory when the court ruled against a move by plaintiffs to block implementing COOL rules while the lawsuit is being adjudicated.

NFU will be on the hook for its fair share of the final costs of defending COOL in court. OFU and NFU leadership are asking you to consider visiting www.uscooldefensefund.org today and making a donation to the legal defense fund set up by NFU and its partners.