DENVER, Colo. – When Los Angeles grocery shoppers pick up good looking steaks American cattle producers want them to know the meat came from steers born in the U.S.A.
This is the basis for country-of-origin labeling demanded by American cattle producers who see imports of cattle and beef from Canada and Mexico as threats to their livelihood.
A task force was appointed last year by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association executive to investigate how beef labeling should be done.
It’s an emotional topic.
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A lot of imported cattle are receiving the benefit of the United States Department of Agriculture quality grade label. Many American cattle producers insist that’s unacceptable, said Stan Flitner of Greybull, Wyoming, who headed the labeling task force.
Flitner said American packers got a sweetheart deal importing thousands of Canadian cattle for less money and applying the USDA quality grade to the carcasses.
“Nothing should carry a USDA grade unless it is U.S. beef,” said Flitner.
“That USDA label carries a certain amount of responsibility and ownership and that can only belong to an American,” he said.
“Canadians are pretty proud of their beef and they might want it labeled product of Canada,” he said.
“The Canadian cowboy is my friend and I think we should band together in a common interest to promote beef. But I think Canadians should have to compete with me and I with them.”
Packers and processors say it could be a logistical problem to separate and label country-of-origin on every package.
In reality it could take years to turn this request into law, said Flitner.
Nevertheless, cattle producers at the international markets committee meeting during the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association convention were steadfast.
They want a pilot program that would track the costs of such labeling and determine how effective it could be in practice.
Task force member Keith Bales said a distinction could be made by calling beef foreign or imported.
“Other countries know if they are eating U.S. beef, but U.S. consumers don’t,” said Bales.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do before this happens.”
Larry Helland of the Alberta Cattle Commission, attended the committee meeting and said there could be some strong opposition to the proposal. Packers and processors may lobby the American Congress to quash it even though the grassroots producer wants the labels.
“It is very dear to the American cattleman’s heart,” he said.
“Politicians will have to decide which way to go; 1998 is an election year where they will promise anything.”
Some see this as a non-tariff trade barrier to protect American cattle producers, he said. Some producers in the northern states believe that reducing the imported supply of cattle will raise domestic prices. In 1996, a record 1.2 million slaughter animals from Canada went stateside. The number of live cattle dropped in 1997 but beef exports rose.
The recommendations from the country-of-origin task force included:
- The definition of U.S. beef include all beef produced from cattle slaughtered in the U.S., except cattle imported in sealed trucks going straight to slaughter.
- All fresh muscle cuts for sale at retail not meeting the definition of U.S. beef should be labeled imported. The imported label is required even if the product received the USDA quality grade.
- The U.S. beef label be available for ground beef if individuals or firms meet the criteria for the domestic beef label. Otherwise it should be labeled blended product or blended with imported beef.
