Starting today, your next tour of the supermarket will be a little more informative. September 30, 2008, sees COOL (Country of Origin Labeling) go into effect. The law is a part of the 2002 Farm Bill that has been some years delayed due to modifications, additions, etc. Basicially, the law requires that retailers label beef, lamb, pork, fish, chicken, goat meat, peanuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, ginseng, and “perishable agricultural commodities” with their country of origin.
It seems that retailers, distributors, wholesalers, etc, have always been well aware of the origins of their goods for sale, they’ve just never been required to post up the information for the American consumer. Keep in mind that there are some loopholes: processed foods are not included in the requirement. This seems like an awfully big loophole, actually. Roasted peanuts: no label. Cooked chicken: no label. Bacon: no label. But still, this is an interesting development in the way we shop for groceries in America. A law that actually gives consumers what they want (as opposed to Tennessee’s liquor laws).
