For Immediate Release
By: R-CALF USA Operations Director Candace Bullard
Contact: R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard
Phone: 406-252-2516; r-calfusa@r-calfusa.com
BILLINGS, Mont., May 24, 2024 – More than 470 United States veterans and the Farmer Veteran Coalition have signed a letter urging Congress to “undertake the patriotic and constitutional act of passing legislation to empower America’s citizens to support America’s food producers, whose toils preserve and protect our national security.”
The letter continues, “Specifically, we urge Congress to pass mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL) for beef so our citizens can once again support America’s cattle farmers and ranchers by distinguishing our USA-produced product in grocery stores across America.
“Many of us veterans are farmers and ranchers ourselves. And many of our fellow veterans are now among the hundreds of thousands of producers forced to leave their farms and ranches. The latest census shows that more than nine percent of U.S. food producers are veterans, but today we are nearly 65,000 fewer in number than just five years ago.
“Contributing to the farm and ranch exodus of veterans and nonveterans alike is Congress’ deference to international tribunals over matters for which supreme authority rests with our United States Constitution. For example, Congress previously passed MCOOL for beef and a U.S. appeals court upheld Congress’ constitutional right to do so. Nevertheless, Congress inexplicitly capitulated to the World Trade Organization when the international tribunal admonished our constitutionally passed MCOOL law.”
The American Beef Labeling Act (S.52) directs the U.S. Trade Ambassador and U.S. Agriculture Secretary to determine a means of reinstating MCOOL in a manner that complies with the WTO rules. The two cabinet members are then directed to implement such “means” within one year of enactment. However, if they have not implemented such “means” by the one-year anniversary date of enactment, MCOOL for beef will automatically go into effect.
The letter follows a multiyear effort by American consumers and producers to get Congress to restore the law that would require global meatpackers to label the 3.5 billion pounds of foreign beef and beef from the 2 million head of foreign cattle imported each year that are currently being sold undistinguished in grocery stores across America and displacing America’s cattle farmers and ranchers.
In late 2022, a poll conducted by Morning Consult revealed that nine in ten voters said they support the American Beef Labeling Act and that 72 percent of Democrats and 79 percent of Republicans said they are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports the Act. The poll also revealed that 77 percent of voters want the beef they buy to be American-made.
In 2020, more than 400,000 Americans signed a petition urging the President and Congress to pass MCOOL for beef, pork and dairy products in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that led to empty meat shelves across the country. An earlier petition in 2017 garnered over 35,000 signatures to bring back country of origin labeling, citing a then recent poll that 89 percent of consumers said they want to know where their meat comes from.
The letter concludes, “We veterans urge Congress to once again stand up for America by passing the American Beef Labeling Act (S. 52) or the Country of Origin Labeling Enforcement Act (H.R. 5081), both of which will restore MCOOL for beef for America. The bills will enable beef produced by United States cattle to bear a ‘United States of America’ designation. And they will empower America’s consumers to patriotically support America’s cattle producers by choosing to purchase USA beef produced from their USA cattle.”
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Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America (R-CALF USA) is the largest producer-only lobbying and trade association representing U.S. cattle producers. It is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle and sheep industries. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or call (406) 252-2516.
