WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – Where does your beef come from?

That’s what a group of bipartisan lawmakers want you to know when you pick up your choice cuts at the grocery store.

Republican Senator John Thune (RS.D.) said the current beef labeling system in that country allows imported beef that is not born or raised in the United States to be labeled as a product of the States -United.

“I believe that a mandatory country of origin labeling law, when it comes to beef, not only ensures that producers not only benefit from the quality they produce, but that the consumer benefits as well,” said Senator Thune. “I think you will have more demand for American products, born raised and harvested in the United States if consumers knew they had that option available to them.”

Alongside Senator Thune, Democratic Senator John Tester (D-Mont.) Is aiming to reduce what is considered “Made in America” ​​by co-sponsoring mandatory legislation on the labeling of country-of-origin beef.

“If you give the consumer a choice of what to buy, I think most people, the lion’s share of people, are going to buy this American product,” Sen said. Test.

Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (MCOOL) is not a new concept in the meat packaging industry, in fact the measure was established in the early 2000s. It was however dropped by Congress in 2016, due to compliance cost issues and concerns about World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements.

According to Senator Thune, the WTO is essentially the world arbiter of trade between nations.

Sense. Thune and Tester plan to have the USDA and the United States Trade Representative (USTR) work together to find a language that will satisfy the WTO.

Specifically, the American Beef Labeling Act would give the USTR six months to develop a recovery plan followed by a six month window to implement it. If the USTR does not reinstate MCOOL for beef within a year of its enactment, Senator Thune said MCOOL will automatically be reinstated for beef only.

Kansas Livestock Association CEO Matt Teagarden says he supports the concept but not the push to make MCOOL mandatory. He fears the bill will put the United States in breach of its trade obligations, yet again

“We were facing over $ 1 billion in retaliatory tariffs from Canada and Mexico,” Teagarden said. “The benefits suggested by the promoters for producers and consumers simply did not materialize. “

The American Beef Labeling Act was officially presented to the Senate.

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