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| September 14, 2005 |
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| WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today wrote a letter to Secretary Mike Johanns at the U.S. Department of Agriculture asking about the status of the mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) rules. Aware that implementation is a year away, Rehberg is concerned about the timeframe in which the industry will have to adjust to the new statutes. “Few issues in recent years have created as much discussion as COOL and Congress continues to debate the issue,” Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, wrote in his letter. “This program will require segments of the industry to adjust their business practices and it is very important that they are given sufficient lead time to make the necessary changes.” The 2002 Farm Bill established the COOL program. Congress, two years ago, extended the implementation date in order for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to have adequate time to write the mandatory rules for the program that will impact the industry and producers as little as possible. “With the final implementation date a little over a year away, I am writing to you asking about the status of the mandatory COOL rules,” Rehberg wrote. “By law, everyone will have to comply with COOL next fall and it is extremely important these rules are finalized as quickly as possible.”
Letter: September 14, 2005
Secretary Mike Johanns United States Department of Agriculture 200 Administration Building 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250
Dear Secretary Johanns:
As you know, the 2002 Farm Bill created a mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) program. Few issues in recent years have created as much discussion as COOL and Congress continues to debate the issue. Two years ago, Congress extended the enactment date to September 30, 2006 to give the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ample to time to write the rules in such a manner that would provide the least impact to industry and producers.
With the final implementation date a little over a year away, I am writing to you asking about the status of the mandatory COOL rules. This program will require segments of the industry to adjust their business practices and it is very important that they are given sufficient lead time to make the necessary changes. By law, everyone will have to comply with COOL next fall and it is extremely important these rules are finalized as quickly as possible.
I thank you for your time and attention to this important matter and please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any assistance.
Sincerely,
Denny Rehberg Montana’s Congressman |
