News.MikeCallicrate.com | A NoBull News Service

From: Bill Bullard, CEO

Date: May 13, 2013

Subject: Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns Plans to Offer Amendment to Repeal COOL: Immediate Calls Needed to Both Senate and House

Background: The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee plans to take up the 2013 Farm Bill on Tuesday, May 14 and the U.S. House Agriculture Committee plans to do the same on Wednesday, May 15.

Whatever passes in the respective committees has a good chance of making its way into the final version of the 2013 Farm Bill.

Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns intends to offer an amendment to kill country of origin labeling. He obviously is carrying the water for the meatpackers that do not want consumers to be able to choose to purchase beef exclusively in the United States.

Here is the language of Senator Johann’s amendment:

Johanns Amendment #1: To eliminate country-of-origin labeling for livestock and poultry.

This amendment strikes country-of-origin labeling requirements for livestock and poultry. The WTO Appellate Body has found our COOL requirements are not in compliance with our trade obligations. USDA’s proposed solution is unlikely to solve this problem and makes compliance more expensive.

First Action: Please call both your U.S. Senators and tell them that COOL is good for producers and consumers and you want them to strongly defend our country of origin labeling (COOL) law by voting against any effort to repeal, study or delay COOL.

Second Action: The second action is needed because even if the Johann’s Anti-COOL amendment fails in the Senate Agriculture Committee, it likely will be brought up in the U.S. House Agriculture Committee on Wednesday as well. Therefore, please call you U.S. Representative with the same message:

COOL is good for producers and consumers and you want them to strongly defend our country of origin labeling (COOL) law by voting against any effort to repeal, study, or delay COOL.

You can reach your Senators and Representative by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and asking for them by name. When you call your members of Congress, be sure to ask for the staff member who is working on the 2013 Farm Bill.

Thanks for your help and we’ll keep in touch!