Last updated June 2009

Overview

Under the Tariff Act of 1930, 19 U.S.C. §§ 1202-1681b, nearly every item imported into the United States must indicate to the ultimate purchaser its country of origin. Many imported agricultural products are either exempted from coverage of the Act or are deemed to have undergone sufficient additional manufacturing or processing so that they become products of the United States and therefore do not require labeling. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-171 § 10816, 116 Stat. 134, 533-35, amends the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, 7 U.S.C. §§ 1621-1637b (amendments to be codified at 7 U.S.C. §§ 1638-1638d), to require retail level country of origin labeling (COOL) for shellfish, peanuts, fruits, vegetables, and various meats. This change will inform consumers at the final point of sale of a covered commodity's origins. Read the full overview

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