Text: SCR00102 Text: SCR00104 Text: SCR00100 - SCR00199 Text: SCR Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN
1 1 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. ___
1 2 BY KIBBIE
1 3 A Concurrent Resolution to urge that the President of
1 4 the United States and the United States Congress take
1 5 all steps necessary to ensure that food is
1 6 labeled with its country of origin by the end of
1 7 2004.
1 8 WHEREAS, on May 13, 2002, President Bush signed
1 9 into law the federal Farm Security and Rural
1 10 Investment Act of 2002, more commonly known as the
1 11 2002 Farm Bill (Pub. L. No. 107-171); and
1 12 WHEREAS, Title X, subtitle I, section 10816, of the
1 13 2002 Farm Bill requires country of origin labeling for
1 14 perishable agricultural commodities, including beef,
1 15 pork, lamb, fruits and vegetables, fish, shellfish,
1 16 and peanuts, which was to begin on September 30, 2004;
1 17 and
1 18 WHEREAS, the implementation of the mandatory
1 19 country of origin labeling provisions is the
1 20 responsibility of the Agricultural Marketing Service
1 21 of the United States Department of Agriculture, which
1 22 published proposed rules required to implement
1 23 labeling requirements in the October 30, 2003, Federal
1 24 Register; and
1 25 WHEREAS, a primary purpose of the law is to inform
1 26 consumers of the origin of their food and to provide
1 27 consumers an informed choice when purchasing domestic
1 28 or imported agricultural products; and
1 29 WHEREAS, Japan, which is this nation's largest
1 30 export market for beef, and South Korea, which is this
2 1 nation's third largest export market for beef have
2 2 both adamantly called for country of origin labeling
2 3 information; and
2 4 WHEREAS, a complementary purpose of the law is to
2 5 encourage exports of food products labeled as
2 6 originating in this country, and especially meat
2 7 products, which have earned a superior reputation
2 8 among foreign consumers, and which would stimulate the
2 9 development and promotion of additional branded
2 10 products commanding higher prices for this nation's
2 11 agricultural producers; and
2 12 WHEREAS, the economic viability and welfare of this
2 13 nation depends upon a reliable system for the
2 14 marketing of abundant and wholesome food products,
2 15 including for consumers in this nation and foreign
2 16 nations; and
2 17 WHEREAS, enormous political pressure has been
2 18 exerted at the federal level by concentrated corporate
2 19 retail and meatpacking interests, which have adopted a
2 20 strategy of overestimating the costs and regulatory
2 21 burdens of implementing a system that would ensure
2 22 fair information to consumers and better provide a
2 23 competitive environment for agricultural producers;
2 24 and
2 25 WHEREAS, the United States Congress has passed
2 26 legislation delaying the mandatory country of origin
2 27 labeling for two additional years; NOW THEREFORE,
2 28 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, THE HOUSE OF
2 29 REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, That the President of the
2 30 United States and the Congress of the United States
3 1 take all necessary action to ensure that food is
3 2 labeled with its country of origin by the end of 2004;
3 3 and
3 4 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this
3 5 Resolution be sent by the Secretary of the Senate to
3 6 Iowa's congressional delegation; and
3 7 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this
3 8 Resolution be sent to the President of the United
3 9 States; the Secretary of Agriculture of the United
3 10 States Department of Agriculture; the President of the
3 11 Senate of the United States; the Speaker of the House
3 12 of Representatives of the United States; the
3 13 Chairperson of the United States Senate Committee on
3 14 Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; and the
3 15 Chairperson of the United States House of
3 16 Representatives Committee on Agriculture.
3 17 LSB 6090SS 80
3 18 da/pj/5
Text: SCR00102 Text: SCR00104 Text: SCR00100 - SCR00199 Text: SCR Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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