Livestock Country of Origin labels set to begin
By Brandy Nance (Contact)
Originally published 02:48 p.m., September 22, 2008
Updated 08:57 a.m., September 23, 2008
Starting on Sept. 30, Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) will be mandatory for beef, chicken, goat, lamb and pork. This documentation, which was implemented as a part of the 2002 Farm Bill, will be enforced by the United States Department of Agriculture. Chicken and goat meat were added during the implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill.
The COOL mandate also includes perishable agriculture commodities and ginseng, pecans and macadamia nuts.
For retailers, this mandate means covered commodities will have to be labeled with country of origin. For local livestock producers and buyers, the rule could mean more paperwork as this documentation must be kept with livestock. Brian Rees, Lyon County extension agent, said documentation goes with livestock when it’s sold.
“Until they are sold, whatever record keeping you do should be acceptable,” Rees said.
The COOL mandate was developed to help determine where livestock and livestock products originate. The mandate affects producers when it is time to sell the animals. It does not affect individual livestock. However, producers must present documentation stating the country of origin for the animals they are selling. Rees said that on Sept. 30, producers basically are going to be required to have a signed statement in hand when livestock changes ownership.
“At some point down the line, someone is going to ask, ‘Where did these cattle come from?’” Rees said. “If you can’t tell me where the (cattle) came from then we don’t have a use for them.”
Rees said while there likely will be some added paperwork he doesn’t see the mandate hurting business or business structure.
There are four ways a producer can provide documentation for their livestock. Four different affidavits have been drawn up. Producers can choose which one suits them best. For feedyards and other producers supplying cattle, a “continuous affidavit” can be filed with packers. This covers all livestock coming from a particular producer. Cow-calf operators can file a continuous affidavit that is intended for those supplying livestock to auction markets, feed yards or other buyers. The affidavit is kept on file with the buyer and covers all livestock that the producer brings in. A third affidavit is intended for livestock producers making an individual transaction and a fourth affidavit is a declaration of visual inspection, which means the animals in possession have been inspected for the presence or lack of presence of foreign animal markings.
“Visual inspection for markings to support affidavits of origin builds upon accepted and known industry practices; avoids burdensome paperwork and trace back; and is immediately available,” an article by the Kansas Livestock Association stated.
All livestock in the United States on or before July 15, 2008, are considered of U.S. origin. July 15 was the publication date of the COOL regulation. For animals that don’t have a paper trail, visual inspection will become important, Rees said.
On the net: http://www.kla.org/mCOOL.htm
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