Press Releases

Washington, D.C. - Today, House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway issued the following statement in response to new Senate legislation that contradicts the House-passed bill (H.R. 2393) which repeals mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) for beef, pork, and chicken. Introduced by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), the Senate legislation leaves in place several of these burdensome mandatory labeling requirements.

“Any conversation about a voluntary program must be preceded by a full repeal of COOL, as we have an obligation to our trading partners to come into compliance. Earlier this month, an overwhelming majority of 300 House members supported H.R. 2393, a bill that not only brings us into compliance with our trade commitments and avoids harmful retaliation; it also ensures stability in the marketplace and offers relief from burdensome compliance costs through the repeal of mandatory labeling requirements for beef, pork, and chicken. These labeling requirements are costly for producers, burdensome for the entire supply chain, and provide no quantifiable benefits for consumers. By leaving in place a host of federally mandated requirements, Sen. Stabenow’s bill still creates unnecessary compliance costs and prolongs this failed experiment. After four World Trade Organization rulings against the U.S. for mandatory COOL, it is time to abandon this program and ensure certainty in the marketplace.”