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Country-of-Origin Labeling 
Producer Implementation Guidelines
Background
Country-of-Origin Labeling
(COOL) is a USDA marketing program mandated by the 2002 Farm Bill which
requires retailers to notify their customers of the country of origin of beef
(including veal), goat meat, lamb, pork, poultry, fish and other perishable
agricultural commodities. Retailers, packers and their suppliers are mutually
responsible for contributing the information necessary to meet the requirements
of this new law, which becomes effective Sept. 30, 2008.
What This Means
Livestock
producers are not directly regulated by the COOL law because livestock are not
considered covered commodities. However, only producers have first-hand
knowledge concerning the origin of their animals. Definitive origin information
must be provided to slaughter facilities so that meat products as covered
commodities can be accurately labeled at retail. Livestock producers should be
prepared to provide necessary country of origin documentation to their buyers.
How To Comply With COOL
Producers may use one of the
following methods to comply with the COOL law and provide required country-of-origin
information to buyers.
- Affidavits: Packers
may rely upon producer affidavits to initiate claims. Affidavits must be
made by someone having first-hand knowledge and the affidavit must identify
animals unique to the transaction. TSCRA has provided affidavits that may be
used to comply with COOL. Click here to go to the affidavit page.
- National
Animal Identification System (NAIS): Animals that are part of a NAIS-compliant
system may rely on presence of an official ear tag and/or the presence of
any accompanying animal markings, as applicable, to base origin claims.
- USDA-Approved
Age Verification Programs: Participation in USDA Quality System
Verification Programs (QSVP), such as the USDA Process Verified Program
(PVP) and the Quality Systems Assessment (QSA) Program that contain a
source verification component, is also considered acceptable evidence to
substantiate COOL claims.
How to Use Affidavits
The industry
has developed recommended country of origin affidavit statements, each of which
is explained below:
If you raise, purchase, or sell cattle,
there are two options:
Option 1: Complete the Producer Affidavit
entitled “Continuous Affidavit of Country of Origin of Livestock.”
This affidavit may be provided to those parties that you frequently sell to and is only
required one time.
OR
Option 2: Include the following statement on
any of your business forms (printed, stamped
or handwritten on a Bill of Sale or
Invoice). This statement must appear on the business form every time the animals are
bought or sold:
I attest that all livestockreferenced by this document and transferred are of origin.
Signature Date
If you sell cattle directly to a packer,
you should complete the Producer
Affidavit entitled “Continuous Affidavit of Country of Origin of Livestock for
Direct Supplier Transactions to Packers.”
For More Information on COOL Contact
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