Senate bill would void delay in meat-origin law

By Charles Abbott

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Eleven farm-state senators from both
political parties unveiled a bill on Thursday to require
country-of-origin labels on packages of red meat beginning in
autumn 2006, voiding a two-year delay approved by Congress
earlier this month.

Backers say the label would distinguish U.S.-grown beef,
pork and mutton from foreign goods on the grocery store shelf.
Opponents, including foodmakers and grocers, say mandatory
labeling would be a costly nuisance and should be repealed.

Enacted as part of a 2002 law, mandatory labeling has been
delayed twice by Congress. President Bush signed the latest
delay, until September 30, 2008, into law a week ago.

At a news conference, senators said the two-year delay was
written into a must-pass spending bill without an open vote.

Their bill would delete the two-year delay from law,
returning the starting date for mandatory labels to September
30, 2006.

“American consumers are being cheated,” said Democrat Byron
Dorgan of North Dakota. Republican Conrad Burns of Montana
said, “Some way or other, we’re going to get this implemented.”

Also sponsoring the bill were Republicans Mike Enzi and
Craig Thomas of Wyoming, Charles Grassley of Iowa and John
Thune of South Dakota. Democratic supporters include Tim
Johnson of South Dakota, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Max
Baucus of Montana, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico and Tom Harkin
of Iowa.