Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling for Beef
This is a campaign to get Congress to immediately pass the American Beef Labeling Act, Senate Bill S.52, and the Country of Origin Labeling Enforcement Act, House Bill H.R.5081, to require all beef, including imported beef, to be labeled as to where it was born, raised, and harvested.
We Need Your Help
The American Beef Labeling Act will restore mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL) for beef by inserting “beef” and “ground beef'” back into the existing 2002 MCOOL law, which continues today to require country of origin labels on other foods, such as lamb, chicken, fish, nuts, and fruits and vegetables.
Your Calls Are Needed
Please contact both of your U.S. Senators and Representative at the U.S. Capitol Switchboard and ask for them by name at (202) 224-3121 and deliver this important message as soon as possible:
“I’m a (cattle producer or consumer) from (your city and state) and I strongly urge you to pass mandatory country of origin labeling for beef in the 2024 Farm Bill.
Tell your Senators to cosponsor the Senate MCOOL bill, the American Beef Labeling Act (S. 52); and tell your Representative to cosponsor the House MCOOL bill, the Country of Origin Labeling Enforcement Act (H.R. 5081).
Consumers deserve to know the origins of their beef and American cattle producers deserve to have their domestic beef differentiated in U.S. grocery stores.”
Chart shows cattle prices (red line) historically followed consumer beef prices (blue columns) up and down very closely. In 2015 beef and cattle prices disconnected from each other and began moving in opposite directions, this means the beef supply chain is exploiting both consumers and cattle producers. Mandatory country of origin labeling will help restore the relationship between retail beef prices and cattle prices.
Additional Resources
Congressional offices all follow Letters to the Editors in their newspapers. Write your own Letter to the Editor to newspapers in your state and include your Congressional Representatives’ names. Examples are below.
Stoneberg: Dear Editor, Why are some groups opposing MCOOL? | TSLN.com
Kimball Livestock Exchange: We support MCOOL | TSLN.com
Bentlage: Cattle ranchers need Congress help against big 4 meatpackers | The Kansas City Star
Stockton: Consumers overwhelmingly want country of origin labeling | Ravalli Republic (Mont.)
Bipartisan Beef – Opinion Editorials – U.S. Senator John Thune (senate.gov) **Share Sens. Thune and Tester’s Op-ed with your local newspaper.
Anderson: Support honest labeling of beef | Letters to the Editor | bismarcktribune.com
Stockton: USDA Labeling Fraud – Western Ag Reporter
Bullard: Beef Packers, Allies Urge Congress to Do Nothing in Face of Broken Cattle Markets
Evans: Label misleads: It’s time for transparency in meat production – WyoFile
Dunlap: It’s time to demand a fair and transparent marketing system Lewistown News-Argus (Mont.)
Opinion: Dockter: Who supports ND beef? | TSLN.com (N.Dak.)
Iversen: Concentration in the marketplace | TSLN.com (S.Dak.)
O’Shaughnessy: Where’s the beef (from)? | Rome Daily Sentinel (romesentinel.com) (N.Y.)
Dockter: We need MCOOL | TSLN.com (N.Dak.)
Paulsen: MCOOL and 50/14 Letter to the Editor Crofton Journal (Neb.)
Share the Resolution to Support Mandatory COOL for Beef (available here) with your state legislator or Tribal Council and ask them to introduce it in your state legislative session.
So far, the South Dakota State Legislature and the Navajo Nation Council have passed Resolutions to Support MCOOL.
10.14.2022 MCOOL update | TSLN.com
8.30.2022 Advocates of COOL for beef see a pathway to success – if Senate acts | InsideTrade.com (Sign up for the free trial to view.)
4.25.2022 Hard-Fought Battle Continues Over Beef Country-of-Origin Labeling (dtnpf.com)
4.7.2022 – House members sponsor MCOOL legislation – Tri-State Livestock News
-1.7.2022 – VIDEO – Fox News Tomi Lahren: Ranchers and consumers losing money because of foreign meat imports
-12.21.2021 – PRESS RELEASE – Ranch Group Applauds Navajo Nation’s Support of MCOOL
-12.17.2021 – PRESS RELEASE – Colorado Ranchers Raise More Than $24K for MCOOL, 50/14
-12.11.2021 – ARTICLE – US News by Associated Press – Navajo ranchers want imported beef labeled
-09.17.2021 – EDITORIAL – Rapid City Journal – Thune: Real American Beef
Buy or Sell US Born, Raised & Processed Beef
Until Congress passes the MCOOL law for beef, connect directly with US cattle producers at www.USABeef.org.
