Country-of-origin labels to be required on meat

In a few weeks, American shoppers will be able to look at a cut of meat or a pound of hamburger and see something they've never seen before—a label that says where the meat came from.

Starting Sept. 30, food manufacturers and grocery stores have to comply with a new federal law that requires "Country of Origin Labeling," or COOL, on beef, pork, chicken and lamb.

The new labels will tell consumers whether their food came from animals raised in the U.S. or another country. The law also covers perishable items, such as fruits and vegetables and a variety of nuts.

Because of the complexities of the livestock industry, some product labels may list multiple countries. That's especially true of ground beef, because some meat processors combine cuts from a number of countries to make ground meat and hamburger patties.

One of the biggest disagreements over the law's fine points is what constitutes a processed food item. Agriculture tried to clarify this with some guidelines issued in August. A bag of imported frozen peas, for instance, must list its country of origin under COOL. But a bag of peas mixed with carrots is considered processed, and does not require such a label.

"It's considered processed if it's combined with one other ingredient," said Patty Lovera, assistant director of Food & Water Watch, a non-profit consumer rights organization. "We think they're being incredibly broad."

USDA's Day said that pre-packaged imported foods like peas and carrots have to carry an origin label.

But if vegetables are imported in bulk and then mixed together by a U.S. company, then they are considered processed and don't need one.

Another controversy involves imported livestock. Under COOL, meat derived from cattle imported into the U.S. for immediate slaughter can bear a label that states it's a product of its origin country and the United States, even though the animal was raised entirely outside the U.S.

Day said USDA hopes to draft a final version of the COOL regulations before the Bush administration's term is up in January.

Bonnie - this shows just how interconnected the world is. The government is trying to respond to public outcry but it is near impossible to grant full disclosure of country of origin. Throw in the needs of special interest and you get this watered-down label.