BEEF ORIGIN LABELS GIVE CONSUMERS MORE CHOICE

NCBA President George Hall Asks Lawmakers to Consider Consumer and Industry Value of Country-of-Origin Labeling

WASHINGTON D.C. (Sept. 26, 2000) – As beef-producing nations boost international trade, U.S. cattle producers believe it is increasingly important to inform American consumers of the origin of the meat they are purchasing, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) said today.

“The way our industry looks at it, telling consumers where the beef they are purchasing came from is akin to the current practice of putting such labels on clothing and other products,” said George Hall, NCBA president and a cattle producer from Mustang, Okla.

Hall testified before the House Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture. The committee held a hearing to review H.R. 1144, the Country-of-Origin Meat Labeling Act. It is one of five bills on the issue currently before Congress. Although the legislation has been introduced in the House, it’s not likely to see any action this year because Congress is scheduled to adjourn in early October.

Still, cattle producers have gained leverage toward their goal of labeling U.S. beef. Two weeks ago, the beef industry, with the support of other commodity-based organizations, submitted a proposal to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop a voluntary, process-verified beef-labeling program. The program would allow beef that meets specific criteria to be labeled, “Beef: Made in the U.S.A.”

“This program is drafted to provide U.S. beef producers, packers and retailers with a marketing tool to provide consumers with information on the origin of the beef they purchase,” Hall told committee members. “Beyond USDA approval, the critical ingredient for success of this voluntary labeling program will be its use by the industry.”

A study conducted a year ago by an independent firm suggested beef labeling is something consumers want. Three-fourths of consumers polled said they would prefer country-of-origin labels on beef. And 56 percent of those respondents said they would buy U.S. beef because they prefer to purchase American products.

NCBA is pursuing other avenues to resolve what can be an unfair advantage to imported beef.  It has petitioned the USDA to stop allowing imported beef carcasses to carry quality grades such as USDA “prime” or “choice.”  About 12 percent of imported beef carcasses receive USDA quality grades.  U.S. packers use and pay for USDA grading programs to add value to their products.

“Such quality grade labels on imported beef gives the false impression that the product was produced in the United States,” Hall said.  “This again gives imported meat an undue leverage in the U.S. marketplace.”

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To view George Hall’s testimony, visit http://hill.beef.org/ct/rohr1144.htm.

Producer-directed and consumer-focused, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association is the  trade association of America’s cattle farmers and ranchers, and the marketing organization for the largest segment of the nation’s food and fiber industry.