Country of Origin Labeling

1. Country of Origin Labeling By: Shelby Stauffer

2. What is Country of Origin Labeling? • The Labeling law that requires all retailers, supermarkets and grocery stores to notify customers on the origin of certain foods using a detailed labeling system on the packages. • Some labeled food examples would be….

3. Beef • Veal • Pork • Chicken • Wild and Farm raised Fish • Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables • Finally, peanuts and Pecans

4. So.. What are the requirements for “C.O.O.L”? • All retailers, grocery stores and supermarkets must be licensed to sell perishable goods, their records must be current one year to the day of inspection. • All processors must pass inspection for sanitary and health reasons. • Self Verification is considered unlawful, all commodities must be inspected by a government official.

5. Enforcement • Law provides a 30 day period where retailers can correct there labeling system. • Law will be enforced by judicial hearings and court decisions • Retailer could be fined $1,000 for each violation

6. When did “C.O.O.L” take place? • Labeling Fish and Shellfish became mandatory in 2005 • Final rule on all covered commodities became effective in 2009

7. What is a Covered Commodity? • Any perishable food item that has not undergone a change of state like fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and nuts. • After changing state of food or processed food item does not require a labeling system.

8. What is considered a Processed Food? • Undergoing a process to change the commodities state such as: -cooking -frying -broiling -grilling -baking -roasting • Examples of such would be Marinated Chicken or Fish Sticks. • Also, vegetables that are cut, diced, added with other vegetables are excluded from Country of Origin Labeling.

9. How is “C.O.O.L” Beneficial? • Benefits consumers by knowing the origin of food. • Improved tracing of bacterial outbreaks. • Create jobs within the Government sector and labeling system.

10. People for/against Country of Origin Labeling For it: • The Consumers, want to know the origin of their food. And they are willing to pay more for the information. • Government, create more jobs in regulating the system. • Over 70% of shoppers like having the labels on their food. Against it: • Producers/Packers, they must label every animal where it came from, if it left the U.S if so how long was the livestock out of the U.S. • Retailers, they have to make sure all labels are accurate and legible. • And, it costs them more money to track and label products

11. Just some graphs.. Do people like to see Country of Origin on their produce?

12. References • Lewis, Julie. Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling- Final Rule. Julie Lewis, 2009. Web November 2010 • O’Connor, Martin E. COOL: Final Rule Presentation. Martin E. O’Connor, Feb 2009. Web November 2020 • VanSickle, John. Country of Origin Labeling: A Legal and Economic Analysis John VanSickle, 2008. Web November 2010 • Pennison, Avery. Country of Origin Labeling: Just the Facts Avery Pennison, 2009. Web November 2010 • Mark, Darrell R. Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling. Darrell R. Mark. 2009. Web November 2010