Organization for Competitive Markets

P.O. Box 6486

Lincoln, NE 68506

www.competitivemarkets.com

Date: November 12, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: John Lockie, 402.817.4443

OCM: “Kill COOL” Strategy Should be Opposed

Lincoln, NE ~ The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) is urging supporters of mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) to contact their congressional delegations asking them to support COOL by rejecting an inclusion of voluntary COOL legislation into the impending Omnibus Appropriations Bill now before the Joint Appropriations Committee. “Voluntary” COOL is a strategy to kill COOL by making it unenforceable.

Opponents of mandatory COOL intend to attach a voluntary COOL bill to the Omnibus Appropriations Bill. A voluntary bill, if passed, would repeal the mandatory COOL legislation already in place. The Joint Appropriations Committee is scheduled to begin meeting on Tuesday, November 16.

“OCM vigorously supports a mandatory labeling system to promote consumer information, reduce confusion, and provide uniformity in labeling. We opposed a voluntary labeling program for food products because the big meatpackers and retailers will never voluntarily tell consumers where their food comes from,” said Keith Mudd, OCM president. “A voluntary program has been available to food processors for years. They have refused to implement a truthful labeling system for American consumers while systematically opposing a mandatory program that would permit consumers to make informed choices about food purchases.”

“Now is the time for supporters of mandatory COOL to make contact with their congressional delegations, focusing on those who are members of the Joint Appropriations Committee, and ask that they reject any proposal to kill the mandatory COOL legislation and replace it with a voluntary program. Time and time again, we’ve won on this issue, but the fight continues and it is intense. We must take this issue to the finish line and defend against any approach to repeal mandatory COOL,” asserted Mudd.

“We will prevail if we remain engaged,” noted Mudd. “Opponents of mandatory COOL will go to any lengths to defeat it because they know it will give American producers a marketing edge in the largest market in the world. There’s a great deal at stake. We must remain steadfast and true to our responsibilities to both U.S. producers and consumers.

The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) is a multidisciplinary, nonprofit group of farmers, ranchers, academics, attorneys and policy makers dedicated to reclaiming the agricultural marketplace for independent farmers, ranchers and rural communities. OCM helps lead the Cattlemen’s Competitive Market Project which is a voluntary contribution program funding the effort to increase demand for U.S. cattle and beef in open and competitive markets.