TO: National Meat Association Members
FROM: Shawna Thomas, NMA Washington Liaison
RE: Implementation
of Country- of- Origin
Labeling
As you are
aware, the USDA has issued guidelines
implementing “voluntary” country- of- origin
labeling provisions based on the 2002 Farm Bill. Later this year, USDA will solicit comments and issue mandatory
country- of- origin
labeling regulations, which will become effective on September 30,
2004. It is extremely likely that the
mandatory regulations will be very similar to the voluntary guidelines already
circulated. NMA believes that mandatory regulations based on the existing
“voluntary” guidelines will violate the Constitution, and, if that is the case,
NMA plans to evaluate a challenge to those regulations in court with other
like-minded organizations as soon as they are promulgated.
Whether or
not there is a court challenge to USDA’s ultimate mandatory country- of- origin
regulations, NMA members need to prepare themselves to comply with those
regulations in the event that either they they become
effective before a court takes action, or that a court refuses to take
action. To comply with the provisions
which are likely to be included in mandatory regulations, processors and
slaughterers need to be contacting
their suppliers of meat and livestock immediately – that is, right now –
and requesting assurance that those suppliers
will be able to provide the animal identification information that is required
by the country- of- origin
labeling law. The reason to
do this needs to be done now is that in
October 2004, those suppliers will have to provide
information about the origin and ownership of animals that have already been
born. Therefore, livestock sellers have
to begin preparing records and start record keepingrecord keeping
today.
Specifically,
slaughterers will want toshould go to
their suppliers of livestock and obtain assurances that each of these suppliers
can identify each animal back to its place of birth, and
processors will want toshould contact
each slaughter supplier to be sure that the slaughterer can supply the same
information regarding the origin of animals it slaughters and the meat provided
by itthose animals. This request is best made in
writing, and a copy placed in the file for the record.
In the
interim, between now and the publication of the mandatory guidelines, NMA urges
individual companies to contact their respective representatives and senators
and make their opinion on the matter known.
While the NMA’s presence in Washington, D.C.
is beneficial to the entire organization, it is still effective to attempt to
acquire a relationship with your elected representative’s local office. Sometimes what they need to hear is how a
certain piece of legislation affects affects theat
company that is right in their district.
Every member of the NMA should be aware of who is
their representatives are and make it a point to get to know them. The representatives and senators, for the
most part, want to do what is best for their constituents, so the constituents
have to make what
is best for them it known what is best for
them. You should send a
copy of your letter to Shawna Thomas, c/o Olsson, Frank & Weeda, 1400 16th St. NW,
Washington, D.C. 20036, or to [email protected]
for her follow-up.
NMA has scheduled a round table discussion on this
subject at its cConvention
in Las Vegas to be held on the morning of Monday, March 3. This will be a good
time for members to obtain further information.
***