R-CALF is in court, trying
to convince a judge that the government is not enforcing meat labeling
regulations against imports.
The cattlemen’s organization
claims that meat packers should not be able to label imported meat they process
as Product of U.S.A.
The government counters that
County of Origin Labeling legislation was repealed by Congress in response to
Canada winning the case it took to the World Trade Organization.
The cattlemen say they are
not seeking a return to Country of Origin Labeling, but do want enforcement of
a 1930s tariff regulation that forbids labeling meat at Product of the U.S.A.
if it is only lightly processed.
R-CALF has submitted
evidence to show that farmers receive higher cattle prices when the animal’s
country of origin is distinguished. Proper enforcement of the Tariff Act, R-CALF
says, would shift market forces “in favor of true domestic producers.”
The new filing states that,
as of now, USDA is helping flood the U.S. market with mislabeled foreign beef
that decreases the market leverage and income of U.S. cattle producers.
Those R-CALF folks are one big pain! If they put half as much effort into improving their ranches and feedlots as they have spent on lawyers, they would be twice as well off. As would Canadians.
