Letter To Honorable Tom Vilsack, Secretary Of Agriculture

Letter

U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) and U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) called on Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to work with Congress in implementing the Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) rule as he assumes his new role. The Obama Administration recently announced it would review published rules that have not taken effect, which includes the final rule for COOL.

Johnson and Enzi have been long-time advocates of COOL and have been vocal about changes needed in the rule to reflect the intent of Congress.

"I am hopeful that this new Administration will work with Congress to ensure U.S.A.-exclusive product is labeled as such. I introduced my first meat labeling bill sixteen years ago, and I will continue to fight until this program is implemented properly," Johnson said.

"Congress wants a labeling program that will provide consumers with accurate information about the source of meat products they eat. There have been significant developments in labeling, but we need this Administration to finish as soon as possible what we started so long ago," said Enzi. "I am looking forward to working with the new Administration in implementing the labeling law that supports our farmers, ranchers and consumers."

The letter Johnson and Enzi sent to USDA today follows:

January 22, 2009

The Honorable Tom Vilsack
Secretary of Agriculture
200-A Jamie L. Whitten Building
Washington, D.C. 20250

Dear Secretary Vilsack:

First and foremost, congratulations to you on your nomination and recent confirmation as United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary. Given your extensive background and knowledge of the agricultural sector and our rural communities, we are tremendously encouraged that our home state farmers, ranchers and consumers will have an advocate as USDA Secretary who understands their needs.

We write to discuss with you an issue of paramount importance in our states and for farmers, ranchers and consumers across America. Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) is a program on which we have worked for many years in a bipartisan fashion, with organizations across every sector of agriculture and with groups dedicated to providing consumers with reliable, easily accessible information about the food they feed their families. We appreciate the decision to reexamine the final rule for mandatory COOL, published in the Federal Register on January 15, 2009, allowing for a 60 day review period of that rule. President Obama's support of our September 25, 2008 letter regarding the interim final rule for COOL was greatly encouraging, and we appreciate your recent and swift action on this front.

Ensuring that consumers throughout America have the opportunity to identify "U.S. origin" exclusive product is a priority, and we are very pleased to see this discussed by the Administration as a Rural Agenda item. We look forward to working with you in the upcoming months and continuing to work with farmers and ranchers to ensure the program is implemented properly and as Congress intended.

Sincerely,

Tim Johnson
United States Senate

Mike Enzi
United States Senate

Source