This occurred despite the fact that 31 U.S. Senators, Democrats and Republicans alike who represent millions of U.S. citizens, wrote a strong letter to USDA in September 2008 to reinforce that: "It is the intent of Congress that meat product that is exclusively born, raised and slaughtered in the United States will have its own label, such as "Product of the U.S.," so that consumers could easily determine U.S. product apart from product that is from other countries..." These same individuals also wrote that USDA's Interim Final Rule, which did allow the mislabeling of exclusive U.S. product, has the possibility of "defying Congressional intent and the agreement between producers and the packing industry."
"We are now witness to the unconscionable actions of a federal agency that has ignored its duty to defend our constitutionally passed COOL law, ignored the public interest and the will of Congress, and has, instead, kowtowed to the special interests of the Canadian government, all to the detriment of U.S. citizens," said Thornsberry. "This is well beyond being simply a serious matter because USDA's actions have resulted in an erosion of our individual rights and our national sovereignty.
"This must be stopped, he concluded. "R-CALF USA is calling upon the new Agriculture Secretary to immediately reverse the inappropriate concessions accorded to Canada prior to his taking office and to promulgate a new Final COOL Rule that conforms to Congress' clear intent: all meat produced exclusively from animals born, raised, and slaughtered in the U.S. must bear the exclusive USA label, and nothing more."
Click below to view the letters.
Letter from U.S. Ambassador to Canadian Ambassador
Response letter from Canadian Ambassador to U.S. Ambassador
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R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALFUSA represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on trade and marketing issues. Members are located across 47 states and are primarily cow/calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and/or feedlot owners. R-CALFUSA directors and committee chairs are extremely active unpaid volunteers. R-CALFUSA has dozens of affiliate organizations and various main-street businesses are associate members. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or, call 406-252-2516.
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