Country of Origin LabelingBy: Shelby Stauffer

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….

• Beef• Veal• Pork • Chicken• Wild and Farm raised

Fish• Fresh and frozen

fruits and vegetables• Finally, peanuts and

Pecans

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.

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

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

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.

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.

How is “C.O.O.L” Beneficial?1. Benefits

consumers by knowing the origin of food.

2. Improved tracing of bacterial outbreaks.

3. Create jobs within the Government sector and labeling system.

People for/against Country of Origin LabelingFor 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

Just some graphs..

Should fresh pro-duce include in-

formation on their Country of Origin

Labeling?Yes NoDon't Care

Dis-agree

Neither Agree05

1015202530354045

20052007

Do people like to see Country of Origin on their produce?

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