Organization for Competitive Markets
P.O. Box 6486
Lincoln, NE 68506
Date: December 7, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michael Stumo, 860.379.6199
OCM – Mandatory COOL Needed for Food Safety
Lincoln, NE ~ The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM)
is urging Congress to implement mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) as
quickly as possible in light of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy
Thompson’s food safety concerns aired in his resignation speech Friday,
December 3.
"For the life of me," said Thompson, "I
cannot understand why the terrorists have not attacked our food supply because
it is so easy to do. We’re importing a lot of food from the Middle East and it
would be easy to tamper with that." Thompson added that he worries
"every single night" about threats to the food supply.
"Secretary Thompson’s comments underscore a clear and
present danger," said Keith Mudd, OCM president. "The first line of
defense for American consumers is to be able to choose the safety and security
of domestically grown and processed food products. Food imports are increasing
dramatically in this country. In fact, next year the U.S. Commerce Department
projects the U.S. will import more food than it exports, which has not happened
for decades. Immediate implementation of mandatory country of origin labeling
has taken on a new urgency."
A majority of America’s imported food comes from the
European Union, Canada, Mexico and the Middle East. Despite the fact that the
federal government has increased import inspections, 98% of food imports remain
uninspected at U.S. ports and borders.
"American farmers and ranchers grow the safest and most secure food products in the world, which are subjected to a rigorous inspection process from gate to plate," noted Mudd, a Missouri farmer. "U.S. consumers must be provided the labeling information they need to make informed purchasing decisions. The time for mandatory COOL is now."
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.