[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 158 (Thursday, October 12, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1932]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          LEGISLATION AMENDING THE FEDERAL MEAT INSPECTION ACT

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                            HON. TIM JOHNSON

                            of south dakota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 12, 1995

  Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to 
introduce legislation that would require that imported meat and meat 
food products containing imported meat be labeled as such and that 
certain eating establishments serving imported meat inform customers of 
that fact.
  America's livestock producers are proud of their record of producing 
quality meat and meat food products from American raised livestock. 
While labeling products from other industries for country of origin is 
commonplace, imported meat and meat food products containing imported 
meat are not labeled at all. With the passage of the Canadian Free 
Trade Agreement, NAFTA, and GATT, we are moving toward more imported 
meat. Exports of American meat are high quality, value added items that 
American exporters are proud to advertise as American produced. On the 
other hand, meat imports into the United States tend to be of lower 
quality and importers generally do not advertise the country of origin.
  I think that American consumers deserve to know the source of their 
meat and meat food products. Because imported meat tends to be 
nongrain-fed beef that is lower in quality, it is doubtful that 
consumers will learn the source of such meat from vendors.
  The legislation that I am introducing will allow America's consumers 
to know the source of their meat and meat food products. Considering 
that food safety and the wisdom of production systems in other 
countries are concerns that consumers consistently have, this 
legislation allows the competitive free market to determine the prices 
and demand for imported meat and meat food products.
  Mr. Speaker, I am certain that you and the rest of my colleagues 
would agree that it is in the interest of free enterprise to provide 
solid information to American consumers. I ask my colleagues to join me 
in making this commonsense change to the Federal Meat Inspection Act.

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