Labeling- Meat in US Country of Origin yeah or not

Anyone else follow Drover's. Thought it was interesting that labeling meat from its country of origin would be an issue. Personally, the consumers should know where they are getting their food source.


http://www.cattlenetwork.com/e-newsletters/drovers-daily/Court-of-Appeals-will-Review-COOL-En-Banc-253940331.html?utm_source=1784G5329467C2V&utm_medium=eNL&utm_campaign=Drovers+CattleNetwork+Daily_20140407&utm_term=&utm_content=

Consumers can choose today without a government program.

Right now, they are not choosing to do so.

For some reason, people don't like choice, they prefer no choice.

Personally, a bigger issue that would benefit consumers is irradiation, but the consumer is not allowed choice.

Individual companies can't even test for bse for export, limiting choice once again.

The people behind the anti choice movement are lame.

This has been a tricky subject for the meat industry.  I don't think the meat trade is really against traceability and giving the consumer choice.  Country of origin wasn't consumer driven program, so there is no financial incentive to do it.  The biggest issue is that cattle or hogs processed here are not considered product of the USA.  You could have several labels of product processed in the USA:
Product of the USA
Born in Canada raised and Processed in the US
Born and Raised in Canada Processed in the US
Born in Mexico raised and Processed in the US
Born and Raised in Mexico and Processed in the US
This has caused a problem with NAFTA agreement with Canada and Mexico.  As they are large fresh meat trading partners and at some point will impose tariffs on product exported either north or south. 
Also it is a challenge to segregate this much product in plants unless you can get large groups.  I work in the pork industry and any retail product must be labeled.  Just think a load of hogs could impact 11,475 two pound packages of product being sold. 
No matter the origin the animals all pass the same USDA inspection, and I would expect similar quality.
I can't believe there is a difference between a hog slaughtered here that was born in Canada and shipped here at 3 weeks of age. 

wake me up when country of origin labeling has this much support.


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