GOP seeks to repeal food labeling law

MSNBC ^ | 17 November 2004 | MSNBC

[Veritas et equitas ad Votum]

Telling consumers where their meat, fruit and vegetables came from seemed such a good idea to U.S. ranchers and farmers in competition with imports that Congress two years ago ordered the food industry to do it. But meatpackers and food processors fought the law from the start, and newly emboldened Republicans now plan to repeal it before Thanksgiving.

As part of the 2002 farm bill, country-of-origin labeling was supposed to have gone into effect this fall. Congress last year postponed it until 2006. Now, House Republicans are trying to wipe it off the books as part of a spending bill they plan to finish this month.

[Veritas et equitas ad Votum]

I'm not sure about this issue. Is it an attempt to reduce the size of the federal government or a favor to multinational corporations at the expense of the American consumer?

Are foods grown in America safer than those grown elsewhere? Remember the recall of scallions last year...

Do we the People have a right to know where goods come from? Is it wise and/or effective to boycott goods from unknown places?

Is the FDA Constitutional? Should it be eliminated all together?

Looking for some opinions on this one...

[Brilliant]

Seems like a stupid issue to spend your "political capital" on.

[Shermy]

Is it an attempt to reduce the size of the federal government or a favor to multinational corporations at the expense of the American consumer?

The latter.

[AM2000]

The GOP can be so bleeping stupid.

[Soul Seeker]

I'm with the GOP on this.

If you want to know where your food is coming from, ask the people that display it.

Here's the bottomline-

The extra labeling translates into higher pricing on your products. It's unnecessary clutter we did perfectly well without before they made it mandatory.

[nosofar]

"I'm not sure about this issue. Is it an attempt to reduce the size of the federal government or a favor to multinational corporations at the expense of the American consumer? "

I vote for the latter.

[raybbr]

ping

[A. Pole]

Producers in favor of mandatory labels believe consumers will prefer U.S.-grown food over foreign imports. The law requires companies to put country-of-origin labels on meat, vegetables and fruit.

Why the freetraders do not like it? They should be proud of importing food instead of hiding it.

[oceanview]

and that Mexican food will have all those "free" extras - like pesticides and disease. I'll be eating more stuff from italy.

[hookman]

Those of us who don't worry about what is in the food that comes from the super market or restaurant are victims. I believe we have a right to know what chemicals are used in our food.
some opinions...
msg
aspartame

[Veritas et equitas ad Votum]

"They should be proud of importing food instead of hiding it."

Exactly. Hiding something as basic as where a product is produced makes me very nervous.

[Veritas et equitas ad Votum]

Aren't we being told that importing pharmaceuticals from other countries might not be safe?

How is that different than importing food from other countries?

[Henchman]

We have a "RIGHT TO KNOW" as the press says. Why are they hiding this? It IF labeling favors US farmers, what is the problem? Don't tell me the Dems represent Americans and the GOP is starting to abandon us. Who got paid how much?

[janetgreen]

I want to know where the food my family eats comes from. Some of the underdeveloped countries use fertilizers that are repulsive.

[Clintonfatigued]

The Stupid Party does it again. Great way to live up the image The Evil Party portrays them as being.

[red flanker]

What's the problem, just put a sticker on your product:

Or if the case may be: Made in SA

[IStillBelieve]

Is the FDA Constitutional? Should it be eliminated all together?

No, and yes.

[maui_hawaii]

I have the right to know what I purchase. If they have to put a made in the USA label on things, they should have to put a grown in the USA label on it too.

[Happygal]

I live in Ireland.

A country that has 'disease free' status in Europe. (That's why the foot and mouth disease crisis that hit a couple of years back demanded that herds were culled and burned to eradicate the disease).

I will ONLY eat Irish beef.

Because, I am gauranteed that there is NO CJD cattle being slaughtered for human consumption.

I think as a consumer THAT is my right. If I want to by cheap imported cuts of meat, I can. But I don't. I want to KNOW where my meat and veg come from. And I'll pay for a product I'm confident in.

[OneTimeLurker]

Hmmm we can't know where our food comes from but we can't buy drugs from Canada. That makes sense. The guys are a joke.