House Republicans Want to Get Rid of Origin Labels on Meat

[MMMariah]

Just when you think that the republicans couldn't get much more anti-citizen and become more pro-corporation they do some shit like this. A few years ago they were able to defeat the measure in California that wanted to put GMO labels on food packaging. The reality is that the lobbyists for companies, mainly Monsanto outspent the opposition 400 to 1.

Now the house republicans have voted to repeal the law that requires all meat to be labeled with the country of origin. Here is the story

Considering that nearly all countries already have required labeling, including Saudi Arabia even for fuck's sake, how is it that one entire political party has been so gung ho to keep people from knowing what they're eating? Of all things to be against wouldn't you think this would be a no-brainer? And since when was government's purpose to protect corporations from it's citizens rather than the other way around?

Since 2005 we’ve had a law that says when a supermarket sells poultry pork and beef the label has to say where it came from. Now the republicans want to get rid of that law and keep you from knowing where the meat you're eating is from and what it contains? Wow. If I ever questioned being on the right side of things this just reassures me that I'm on the correct side, not the right side.

 

[mongo18]

It would be fun if every politician who put forward a bill had to publicly explain how this bill will help the country. Republicans would get even less work done than they have been.

 

[sean miguel]

those fuckers.

 

[Will E Worm]

Bad idea.


Might have to find a local place to buy meat.

 

[Rattrap]

Globalisation and corporatism, folks.

WTO Rules Against Country-of-Origin Labeling on Meat in U.S.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled in favor of Canada and Mexico in an ongoing dispute with the United States over country-of-origin labeling (COOL) on meat.
[...]
The U.S. beef industry has strongly opposed COOL, while organizations representing consumers say that grocery shoppers deserve to know where their meat originates.

“COOL is a failed program that will soon cost not only the beef industry, but the entire U.S. economy, with no corresponding benefit to consumers or producers,” said Bob McCan, president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, in a statement. “… We look forward to working with Congress to find a permanent solution to this issue, avoiding retaliation against not only beef, but a host of U.S. products.”

I guess they're already well underway with working with Congress on their solution.

I personally haven't (and won't) read this whole thing (it's 50 pages), but this does probably provide everything you could want to know about this:
Country-of-Origin Labeling for Foods and the WTO Trade Dispute on Meat Labeling
One particularly salient point:

COOL’s Meat Labeling Challenged in the WTO

Meat labeling proved to be the most contentious of COOL requirements, leading Canada and Mexico to challenge COOL using the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) dispute settlement process. They expressed concerns that normal livestock trade flows would be disrupted in response to the COOL regulations and questioned COOL’s legality under international trade rules. In November 2011, a WTO dispute settlement panel found that COOL discriminated against foreign livestock and was not consistent with WTO rules. After weighing available options, the Obama Administration decided to appeal the WTO panel’s adverse findings. In June 2012, WTO’s appellate body upheld one of the panel’s findings that favored Canada’s and Mexico’s positions, and overturned another. Under a ruling since made by a WTO arbitrator, the United States must bring those features of COOL addressed by the appellate body’s findings into compliance by May 23, 2013.

Note the date; I'm not sure why it's coming up in Congress now, unless they've actually already done something about it without making any noise about it. Wouldn't put it past them.