WIFE reaffirms support for COOL

Women Involved in Farm Economics (WIFE) joined other organizations on May 6th in a show of support for Country of Origin Labeling (COOL). Thousands of phone calls were made to President Obama at the White House voicing support. The message was “I urge President Obama to stand up for my right to know where my food comes from by protecting country of origin labels.”

WIFE President Linda Newman, Montana, explained WIFE support, “As consumers and as producers, the women of WIFE are eager to have the source of our food placed on labels. As producers, we are proud of the abundant, safe, nutritional food we produce. As consumers, we want to support our fellow members of the agriculture society by purchasing and eating food raised on U.S. soil.”

The United States Congress passed a law ten years ago that required meat, seafood and produce to be clearly labeled as to their country of origin. Out two closest neighbors, Canada and Mexico, along with U.S. packers, challenged this COOL law in WTO courts. A final decision is expected very soon.

The COOL law was also challenged in U.S. courts and four times U.S. District courts have declared Mandatory COOL legal.

Newman concludes, “We need to continue to support COOL so U.S. consumers know what country the food they are buying for their families comes from and so U.S. food producers can identify and differentiate their own food products in our own domestic market.”