06/09/05 House agrees to further delay M-COOL

Washington Ag June 9, 2005 Proponents of mandatory country of origin labeling for meat failed yesterday to strike a provision in the House Ag Appropriations bill that will further delay implementation of the program for meat at retail. Ag Appropriations subcommittee chairman Henry Bonilla of Texas included language in the spending bill that delays mandatory COOL for meat until September of 2007. Bonilla: "The country of origin labeling provisions that were part of the last Farm Bill would present a nightmare to many producers in this country that know that this would impose up to a billion dollars in additional costs." Bonilla urged support of legislation for a voluntary labeling program. Congressman Dennis Rehberg of Montana, who offered the amendment to prevent further delays in mandatory COOL, said as a producer he understands he may incur some costs and as for a voluntary program; Rehberg: "Voluntary doesn't work. If voluntary worked we'd be doing it now. But it doesn't. Why? Because the meat processors and the supermarkets will not allow us the opportunity to have it labeled." But on a 240 to 187 vote the House agreed to leave in the language that delays for another year mandatory COOL for meat. The Senate has yet to take up its ag spending bill. I'm Bob Hoff.