This bill requires retailers to notify their customers of the country of origin of beef.
In general, under the Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) requirements, retailers (such as grocery stores, supermarkets, and club warehouses) must provide certain information to consumers regarding the origin of specific foods (e.g., lamb, chicken, fish, and perishable agriculture products). This bill expands these requirements to include mandatory COOL for beef (including ground beef).
In order to designate beef as exclusively having a country of origin of the United States, the product must generally be derived from an animal that was exclusively born, raised, and slaughtered in the United States.
A retailer (or a supplier for the retailer) who willfully violates the COOL requirements for beef may be subject to a USDA fine of $5,000 for each pound of beef that is not in compliance. Under current law, the USDA fine may not exceed $1,000 for each COOL violation.
The bill specifies that no ruling by the World Trade Organization (or by any other international organization of which the United States is a member) may be construed to limit, alter, or affect USDA's authority to implement COOL under this bill.
