Some Positive on COOL in U.S. Senate

The following statement was issued by National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson expressing gratitude for Senate Agriculture Committee leaders’ determination to working towards a resolution for difficulties facing Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL).

“We are grateful that key leaders on the Senate Agriculture Committee are fighting to find a path forward for America’s popular food labeling law, COOL. Food labeling is not only strongly supported by consumers but family farmers as well.

“Of course, groups that have opposed COOL from the very beginning are using red herring arguments and scare tactics to encourage our elected officials to throw in the towel, given objections by our chief trade competitors Canada and Mexico.

“The talk of retaliation by those countries is not only grossly premature, but scaremongering at its finest. In order for Canada or Mexico to retaliate against the U.S. should we wish to continue to exercise our sovereign right to label our food, they must first prove that our labeling law has harmed them economically.

“It should be noted that Canada already has a voluntary food labeling law on the books, so it begs the question as to why they are so strongly against Americans having a similar law.

“NFU will continue to advocate for this popular law and defend the American consumers’ right to know the origin of their food.”