VOLUNTARY COOL PASSES HOUSE AG COMMITTEE

The House Agriculture Committee completed its markup of the “Food Promotion Act of 2004” (HR 4576) on Thursday, July 22, 2004 and moved it favorably forward to the full House of Representatives. If passed, H.R. 4576 will make country-of-origin labeling (COOL) a voluntary rather than mandatory program. After a brief, but heated, debate, the Committee passed the bill by voice vote.

Several amendments were offered during the proceedings. The most debate surrounded an amendment offered by Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-1-MT) which would have reinstituted mandatory COOL. However, all amendments were withdrawn or voted down.

Still, work is far from over on this critical legislation which could literally save the industry hundreds of millions of dollars in unnecessary mandates.

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