Country of Origin Labeling Law Good for US Cooks
COOL Law Supports Trend to Cook with Ingredients of Known Origin
Mar 16, 2009
As of March 2009, country-of-origin labels (COOL) are required for most fresh produce, meat and fish sold at markets in the United States. The federal law, which was passed in September 2008, is meant to help consumers protect their health by avoiding foods from certain countries when, for example, a health risk such as salmonella is reported from that country. It is also, however, a useful tool for the home chef intent on maximizing flavor, while being mindful of both ethics and sustainability.
Origin of Food Culinary Trend
One trend in the culinary arts is for chefs to work with ingredients of known origin. Anyone who has visited a respected restaurant has seen evidence of this boasted on menus—think New Zealand Lamb—and this movement is now firmly taking hold in kitchens across the United States. The COOL law, in addition to affording the USDA better control over food safety, allows home chefs to know more about the foods they choose to use in preparing meals.
Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling Law
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued its final rule on mandatory country of origin labeling on 12 January 2009. According to a USDA press release, “the rule covers muscle cuts and ground beef, lamb, chicken, goat and pork; wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish; perishable agricultural commodities (specifically fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables); macadamia nuts; pecans; ginseng and peanuts.” In the case of animals born in one country, raised in another and, possibly, slaughtered in a third, all three countries need now be listed.
Foods Exempted from Country of Origin Labeling Law
Quite a bit of food that one might think ought to have a country of origin label under the new law will not, in fact, be required to have one. For example, processed food is not covered by the new law, meaning that food which has been cooked, smoked, cured, or mixed with any other ingredients is exempt. In addition, the law only applies to large retailers, and, as such, specialty stores (such as fish mongers and butchers) are exempt. Restaurants, cafeterias and bars are also exempt.
The Pros and Cons of Country of Origin Labeling
Advocates for food safety and individuals who care about the point-of-origin of the products covered celebrated the implementation of the law. In general, ranchers and farmers across the United States are also enthusiastic about COOL, given “buy American” sentiment. Cooks—who know that the flavor of meat, for example, can be significantly affected by geography—should welcome the fact that such information is now more widely available.
Some retailers who will have to change their practices to comply with the law are concerned about the costs they will have to pass on to shoppers, especially during a recession, but COOL’s most vocal opponents are non-domestic producers of products affected by the COOL law. These producers, especially in Mexico and Canada, contend that COOL does little more than give U.S. producers an unfair advantage, while providing no appreciable benefit to the consumer.
History of Country of Origin Labeling Law
COOL was first mandated by Congress in 2002 (as part of the farm bill). Appropriations legislation delayed implementation until September 2008. The law finally went into effect on 16 March 2009.
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