When it comes to farm policies and politics, the issue of country of origin labeling has always been a hot topic. Ranchers have embraced the idea of labeling beef as “raised in the USA,” and consumers have responded positively.
Known as “COOL,” country of origin labeling has been a public relations success since it was first proposed by U.S. Senator Jon Tester of Montana in 2007. However, it has also been met with controversy, particularly from meatpackers who argue that the origin of the beef makes no difference.
Congress passed the COOL law in 2009, but later had to back down due to complaints from Canada and Mexico to the World Trade Organization, labeling the policy as an unfair trade practice. This led to the approval of tariffs on U.S. products by WTO in 2015.
Despite the threat of tariffs from Mexico and Canada, COOL has made a comeback due to vacancies on the WTO Appellate Court, as explained by Bill Bullard, CEO of the R-CALF USA.
The logjam in the appellate board appointments has allowed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to refine the meat labeling policy. In March, USDA finalized its rule for voluntary labeling, which will start in 2026, indicating that COOL labeling will not be a mandated identification as per the WTO dispute.
USDA has also committed to purchasing U.S. beef for its “Foods in Schools” program, a significant move to ensure the authenticity of labels and products.
A new bill has been introduced to create a country of origin labeling system that would be “WTO-compliant,” in collaboration between Senators Tester and Thune.
