FMI Urges Members to Oppose Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling
WASHINGTON, DC - Food Marketing Institute President and CEO Tim Hammonds on Monday issued a letter to FMI members asking them to oppose the new mandatory country-of-origin labeling law, which FMI believes would place an undue burden on supermarkets.
"Charged by Congress with implementing a mandatory country-of-origin labeling program for fresh grocery products, the United States Department of Agriculture is considering placing the burden of labeling solely on supermarkets. The obvious problem with this is that only the producers, growers or importers know where their fresh products come from," Hammonds said.
The USDA is preparing to issue guidelines for implementing the new mandatory labeling law at the end of September. FMI is concerned that USDA?s interpretation of the law would require food retailers to police their suppliers by requiring retailers to audit suppliers' country-of-origin declarations.
Hammonds added, "What the USDA is considering would make supermarkets liable for their suppliers' mistakes. This would be like the Food and Drug Administration suddenly deciding that supermarkets, not manufacturers, should be liable for fraudulent labels on branded products simply because they are sold in retail stores. This places an unfair and illogical burden on all supermarkets, but it inflicts the greatest harm on the smallest operators."
"If our industry is prepared to make itself heard, we still have time to change USDA's mind and get implementation rules we can live with, but time is short," Hammonds said.
FMI is asking members to send a letter, on company letterhead, to Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman asking that the burden of labeling be shared equitably across the food chain, from growers and producers to packers, distributors, suppliers and retailers.
FMI recently filed comments with USDA on the issue of mandatory country-of-origin labeling. The comments can be viewed at http://www.fmi.org/gr/comments.
"Charged by Congress with implementing a mandatory country-of-origin labeling program for fresh grocery products, the United States Department of Agriculture is considering placing the burden of labeling solely on supermarkets. The obvious problem with this is that only the producers, growers or importers know where their fresh products come from," Hammonds said.
The USDA is preparing to issue guidelines for implementing the new mandatory labeling law at the end of September. FMI is concerned that USDA?s interpretation of the law would require food retailers to police their suppliers by requiring retailers to audit suppliers' country-of-origin declarations.
Hammonds added, "What the USDA is considering would make supermarkets liable for their suppliers' mistakes. This would be like the Food and Drug Administration suddenly deciding that supermarkets, not manufacturers, should be liable for fraudulent labels on branded products simply because they are sold in retail stores. This places an unfair and illogical burden on all supermarkets, but it inflicts the greatest harm on the smallest operators."
"If our industry is prepared to make itself heard, we still have time to change USDA's mind and get implementation rules we can live with, but time is short," Hammonds said.
FMI is asking members to send a letter, on company letterhead, to Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman asking that the burden of labeling be shared equitably across the food chain, from growers and producers to packers, distributors, suppliers and retailers.
FMI recently filed comments with USDA on the issue of mandatory country-of-origin labeling. The comments can be viewed at http://www.fmi.org/gr/comments.