Representatives of the livestock and meat industries will meet with USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Bruce Knight Friday to present an industry-wide affidavit for country-of-origin labeling. An industry-wide coalition of 70 representatives from over 30 industry groups worked to develop the standardized affidavit to declare country of origin of livestock throughout the marketing chain.
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association was part of the coalition. NCBA President Andy Groseta says the goal was to create a simple, efficient and effective means of declaring livestock origin from conception to consumer.
"Producers can fill in information specific to their cattle and assert the origin of any animal being sold," Groseta says. "Livestock marketers further along the ownership chain can use individual affidavits to create a single, combined affidavit for a group of animals."
According to Groseta - representatives from every point in the supply chain unanimously agreed to use the standardized affidavit. He says that will greatly ease the burden mandatory COOL places on producers.
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