February 23, 2009

Ag Secretary Supports COOL Rule

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Feb. 20 that the final rule for the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) program would go into effect as scheduled on March 16. He also released a letter inviting stakeholders to follow additional voluntary labeling practices. The rule, published in the Federal Register on Jan. 15, 2009, has been under regulatory review by USDA pursuant to a Jan. 20, 2009, memorandum from the President’s Chief of Staff.

”I strongly support Country of Origin Labeling – it’s a critical step toward providing consumers with additional information about the origin of their food,” Vilsack said in a USDA statement. “The Department of Agriculture will be closely reviewing industry compliance with the rule and will evaluate the practicality of the suggestions for voluntary action in my letter.”

During the regulatory review process, Secretary Vilsack determined that allowing the rule to go into effect and carefully monitoring implementation and compliance by retailers and their suppliers would provide the best avenue to evaluate the program. This evaluation period will inform the Secretary’s consideration of whether additional rulemaking may be necessary to provide consumers with adequate information.





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