Satisfaction of consumers lies not just on the assured quality of food staffs, but also on being informed of the region it is grown. To allow US consumers to be able to differentiate between U.S. and imported food, a small farm-group coalition has urged Congress to enact legislation this year making labeling of country of origin mandatory.
The National Farmers Union along with a band of over 200 farm and rural groups has submitted a letter to lawmakers on this regard. It was in 2002, the Congress had passed a law demanding for mandatory country of origin labels for beef, pork, lamb, produce, peanuts and seafood.
But till date, it is only for fish such labeling has taken effect. Though the other foods are scheduled to follow suit in September 2008, the Farmers Union urged Congress for allowing the U.S. Department of Agriculture implement the law by September 2007.
The letter by the National Farmers Union and a band of over 200 farm and rural groups said,
Consumers continue to be denied the ability to differentiate between U.S. and imported food.
Our coalition has grown impatient with the implementation delays … which restricted USDA funds to implement this very popular provision.
