[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 56 (Thursday, April 22, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S4110]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. Mack, Mr. Hollings, and Mr. 
        Levin):
  S. 860. A bill to require country of origin labeling of perishable 
agricultural commodities imported into the United States and to 
establish penalties for violations of the labeling requirements; to the 
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.


                 imported produce labeling act of 1999

  Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation that 
would require country of origin labeling of perishable agricultural 
commodities imported into the United States. I offer the ``Imported 
Produce Labeling Act'' to ensure that Americans know the origin of 
every orange, banana, tomato, cucumber, and green pepper on display in 
the grocery store.
  For two decades, Floridians shopping at their local grocery stores 
have been able to make educated choices about the food products they 
purchase for their families. In 1979, in my first year as Governor, I 
proudly signed legislation to make country of origin labels commonplace 
in produce sections all over Florida. This labeling requirement has 
proven to be neither complicated nor burdensome for Florida's farmers 
or retailers.
  Country of origin labeling is not new to the American marketplace. 
For decades, ``Made In'' labels have been as visible as price tags on 
clothes, toys, television sets, watches, and many other products. It 
makes little sense that such labels are nowhere to be found in the 
produce section of grocery stores in the vast majority of states.
  The current lack of identifying information on produce means that 
Americans who wish to heed government health warnings about foreign 
products or who have justifiable concerns about other nations' labor, 
environmental, and agricultural standards are powerless to choose other 
perishables. In fact, according to nationwide surveys, between 74 and 
83 percent of consumers favor mandatory country of origin labeling for 
fresh produce.
  This is a low-cost, common sense method of informing consumers, as 
retailers will simply be asked to provide this information by means of 
a label, stamp, or placard. Implementation of this practice in Florida 
resulted in an estimated cost of only $10 monthly per grocery store, a 
remarkably small price to pay to provide American consumers with the 
information they need to make informed produce purchases.
  In addition, a study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that 
twenty-six of our key trading partners require country of origin 
labeling for fresh fruits and vegetables. By adopting this amendment, 
our law will become more consistent with the laws of our global trading 
partners.
  Consumers have the right to know basic information about the fruits 
and vegetables that they bring home to their families. Congress can 
take a major step toward achieving this simple goal by passing the 
``Imported Produce Labeling Act,'' thereby restoring American shoppers' 
ability to make an informed decision.
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