A bill calling for labeling of all imported meats was tabled in the United States Senate Jan. 19.
The bill was sponsored by Montana senator Conrad Burns. It matches the bill introduced by North Dakota’s Earl Pomeroy in the House of Representatives Jan. 6.
The proposed bill would require imported meat and food products containing imported meat to carry a label identifying the country of origin.
Country of origin means the country or countries in which an animal was raised for slaughter. The proposed bill includes beef, lamb and pork.
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Keith Bales, president of the Montana Stockgrowers Association, said American cattle producers want all meat to carry a label so consumers know where their meat comes from. Exporters can also attach their label to the product and let consumers decide what they want to buy.
“If any other country wants to put Product of Canada or Product of Australia, then they can,” he said.
Right now, there are no labels identifying the country of origin on meat products. If slaughter cattle are shipped from Canada to the United States, the carcasses go into the general mix and receive the U.S. Department of Agriculture grade.
