Click on Link to View Speech from the April 10th Cool Meeting (Video requires Windows Media 7.1 or higher)
Patricia Lerva, Consumer Advocate From Public Citizen, Washington D.C.
Mr. Bill Bullard, CEO of R-CALF- USA, Billings, Montana
Dr. Robert Max Thornsberry, President - Missouri Stockgrower's Association, Richland, Missouri
Wednesday, April 23, 2003 Contact: R. M. Thornsberry
For Immediate Release
573-765-5338
Sen. Talent pledges to seek common sense COOL, assumption of domestic origin
The Senatorial Agricultural Subcommittee on Marketing, Inspection and Promotion held a hearing in Joplin, Missouri, Tuesday, April 22, 2003. The subcommittee hearing was conducted by Missouri Sen. Jim Talent and attended by U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt. Several producer and agri-business groups were witnesses for the hearing, including R. M. Thornsberry, President, Missouri Stockgrower’s Association (MOSGA) and R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America (R-CALF USA) Missouri State Chair; Russell Kremer, President, Missouri Farmer’s Union (MFU); and David Day, Director, Missouri Farm Bureau (MFB). The Missouri Cattleman’s Association (MCA), the Missouri Pork Producers Council (MPPC), the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), Excel Packing Company, and Joplin Regional Stockyards all presented testimony in opposition to country of origin labeling (COOL).
Following testimonies criticizing the mandatory labeling of food and a request for repeal of COOL, Sen. Talent interrupted the proceedings of the hearing to make a statement. Sen. Talent verbally rebuked those witnesses requesting repeal of COOL. He said the law was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President of the United States and it was not going to be repealed. He asked the witnesses to present credible and constructive testimony that would allow implementation of COOL in a manner that would cause the least burden on both producers and retailers.
Testimony previously presented by Bill Hawks, USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, indicated that self certification by producers was not going to be allowed by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). Mr. Hawks also testified that all cattle in the United States would need to have a verifiable audit trail to prove they were born, raised, and slaughtered in the U.S.A. Rep. Blunt and Sen. Talent both asked Mr. Hawks if the USDA had considered only identifying imported live animals and meat. Mr. Hawks stated that concept would not be allowed, but both Rep. Blunt and Sen. Talent pressed him on the subject. Sen. Talent told Mr. Hawks he would visit with the USDA on the subject of only identifying foreign animals and meat. Since the U.S. imports about 2 million live beef animals and slaughters over 28 million, it would be only logical to track the smaller number. This process would allow the law to function as intended without causing unintended record keeping for U.S. producers.
Mr. Hawks testified before the hearing on the subject of third party verification. Although third party verification is not required by the COOL law, Mr. Hawks told the hearing attendees that he saw no problem with meat packers or meat retailers requiring third party verification. Mr. Hawks told the group that business practices of packers and retailers were of no concern to the USDA as long as they required third party verification of all producers and did not discriminate against any one producer or group of producers.
The Missouri Stockgrower’s Association and R-CALF USA testified through Dr. Thornsberry about their concern that packers would utilize third party verification to obtain detailed inventory records from cattle producers. The big three packing companies already have the most sophisticated inventory tracking software in the world. With third party verification these monopolistic firms would have complete knowledge of beef cattle and swine inventories in the U.S.A. When asked if producers in Missouri could verify ownership of livestock, Dr. Thornsberry told Sen. Talent that Missouri livestock producers already keep the records required by the USDA for tax purposes, but these records were private and not public. Dr. Thornsberry told Sen. Talent that the county assessor and the IRS were the only two entities allowed to view a livestock producer’s private inventory records.
The Missouri Farmer’s Union testified through their President, Russell Kremer, concerning their support for COOL. Mr. Kremer told Sen. Talent that producers need the ability to differentiate their products to consumers. Consumers have the right to know and COOL provides consumers with that ability.
Sen. Talent ended the hearing with a few comments. Sen. Talent stated his intent to have the USDA track only imported live animals and imported meat. He stated there was no need to track every animal born in the U.S. and those U.S. raised animals should have the U.S. label by default. Sen. Talent also stated he intended to seek self certification of livestock ownership for U.S. producers. He stated there was no currently administrated USDA program that required third party verification and he did not see why COOL should be the first to require third party verification. Sen. Talent assured those attending the hearing that he intended to implement COOL so it would benefit livestock producers, not add additional burden to their already full plates.
Submitted by:
R. M. Thornsberry, President, Missouri Stockgrower’s Association
Russell Kremer, President, Missouri Farmer’s Union