The Campaign for Family Farms Statement on Country of Origin Labeling
Paul Sobocinski, livestock producer, Wabasso, Minnesota
St.Paul, Minnesota
June 24, 2003

The Campaign for Family Farms wholeheartedly supports Country of Origin Labeling, or COOL. COOL is a means to promote fair and open markets for independent livestock producers and provide consumers with accurate information so they can make educated decisions about the food they are buying for their families.

As the organization that successfully led the campaign to hold the referendum to end the mandatory pork checkoff - a referendum in which hog farmers voted to terminate that failed program - the Campaign for Family Farms knows that the National Pork Producers Council is not working for the majority of America's hog farmers when the NPPC tries to undermine and kill Country of Origin Labeling.

That's because hog farmers know that Canadian hog imports have skyrocketed in recent years, taking shackle space from U.S. livestock producers and ultimately driving down the prices for American hog producers - and the American consumer has been kept in the dark while family farmers are being driven off their farms because consumers have not had a choice to buy American raised pork.

Beef producers and consumers would also benefit from mandatory country of origin labeling. The recent outbreak of mad-cow disease in Canada is a case in point. Today American consumers cannot tell if their beef is coming from a BSE infected country. U.S. producers deserve the right to distinguish their product from other countries and consumers should have the right to know that their beef is coming from a country that is free of deadly diseases such as BSE.

The U.S. House Ag Appropriations subcommittee was plain wrong to delete funding for COOL implementation without debate and without even listening to the people at sessions like this one today. They're just following what the major corporations and the American Meat Institute want. The House needs a wake-up call. Everyone here today who supports Country of Origin Labeling should call members of the full House Appropriations Committee and tell them to restore COOL's funding. The information is on this flyer here - find someone who has one and make the call today. If the House Ag Approps action is allowed to stand, that means the House just re-opened the Farm Bill for debate - and then, let's get to it, with the packer ban and other reforms we need to restore fair and open markets in this country.

Rigidly following the globalization agenda of corporate giants like Cargill and Smithfield does not make good policy in a democracy. Americans want to buy food that is safe, healthy, and comes from America's family farms. Independent livestock producers want policies that lead to market access and decent prices - and ultimately to prosperity in our communities and nation. Others here today have cited the Florida State study, which indicates the benefits of COOL to American consumers and farmers, and the way to implement it fairly and cost-effectively.

Our message to you today - Listen to the people instead of corporate lobbyists and commodity group executives.

Implement COOL. Now. Without playing the corporate game and putting the costs on producers.

Thank you.

The Campaign for Family Farms is a coalition of farm and rural groups that are leading the fight against the corporate takeover of the livestock industry and working for policies that support independent family farmers. CFF member groups include the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, Land Stewardship Project, Citizen Action Coalition of Indiana, and Illinois Stewardship Alliance.

For more information, contact:

Land Stewardship Project (Minnesota) Phone: 612-722-6377

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Phone: 515-282-0484

Missouri Rural Crisis Center Phone: 573-449-1336

Illinois Stewardship Alliance Phone: 217-498-9707

Citizen's Action Coalition of Indiana Phone: 812-941-1170