[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 19, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S329-S330]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   COUNTRY OF ORIGINAL LABELING BILL

  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise today to sponsor a bill being 
introduced by myself, Mr. Craig and Mr. Thomas on an issue of great 
importance to my state and the agricultural industry. The issue is that 
of labeling meat coming into America from other countries.
  This language offered today will require all meat products that are 
imported from a foreign country to be labeled with the country of 
origin of that meat. This bill will protect the consumer as well as the 
agricultural industry, which has had to face severe competition from 
foreign countries in recent years.
  American agricultural producers are currently faced with a huge 
influx of imports from both Canada and Mexico. Country of origin 
labeling would do two very important things. First, it would present 
the consumer with the knowledge to make the choice which meat they want 
to buy. 78% of consumers polled by Wirthlin Worldwide endorse country 
of origin labeling. 70%! This says to me that consumers want to be 
making informed decisions. The vast majority of other types of products 
that come into the U.S. are labeled with the country they originated 
in. To name a few, we are aware of where our textiles, manufactured 
parts, automobiles and watches come from. Why should food be any 
different? Consumers go to the store with the assumption they are 
buying U.S. made product. In fact, this is usually not the case. 
Consumers are completely aware of the country of origin of each article 
of clothing they put on the outside of their body. Yet they

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have no idea where any of the food they put inside their body comes 
from. Many consumers prefer to buy ``Made in the U.S.A.'' and they 
especially have a right to know.
  Secondly, this bill will protect both the American producer and the 
American consumer. Currently, foreign meat that comes into the U.S. is 
rolled with the USDA grade stamp. This is grossly unfair to the 
producer and consumer alike. The USDA stamp on foreign product is a 
detriment to the producer because foreign countries get the benefit of 
the grade stamp, without having to pay for it. America's producers need 
the protection of country of origin labeling to assure that the USDA 
label really means just that--produced in the U.S. It is a detriment to 
the consumer because they deserve to know that they are buying American 
and that they are buying absolutely the safest food supply in the 
world, which is grown by American farmers and ranchers.
  Furthermore, other countries already require labeling of meat and 
meat products. Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico 
currently require country of origin labeling. The European Union plans 
to do the same by the year 2000. If we are to compete in an 
international market, the U.S. must step up and level the playing 
field.
  Again, American agriculture provides the American consumer with the 
safest, most reliable source of food and fiber in the world. Consumers 
have proven they want to know where their food comes from. With this in 
mind we then should be informing the American consumer that they really 
are purchasing American product.
  I am proud and very pleased to serve as sponsor of this bill and I 
look forward to moving it through the legislative process so we may 
give our consumers the information and the choice to buy ``Made in the 
U.S.A.''

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