The U.S. House Agriculture Committee finished work on the new farm bill late Thursday. Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell, a Democrat from Des Moines, says the bill does include the controversial country of origin labeling system.
Boswell says the work on the country of origin labeling has quietly been going on for sometime, and it is in the bill to take effect in September of 2008. Boswell says the system is one that’s been talked about for sometime. He says it will be three labels, with one that says born, raised, slaughtered and packaged in the U.S.A., the second would say U.S.A. and others involved, and the third would say if it’s from another country.
Boswell says some livestock groups have not supported the legislation. Boswell says there have been a lot of groups that have come together "It’s really been a struggle to get this done." Boswell raised cattle when he farmed and says he understands why some producers have opposed the labeling.
Boswell says,"The concern has been that consumers want this so we’d better accept it. I’ve felt that for sometime, but I didn’t feel like the whole cost should be on the producer." Boswell says there’s a lot involved in producing the animal all the way through to the supermarket, and everyone should share in the cost of labeling. Boswell says the farm bill will likely come up in the full house late next week.