Country of Origin Labeling (COOL)

 

Overviewcontentphoto_cool

While agricultural commodities remained exempt from COOL requirements for many years, the 2002 Farm Bill, Pub. L. No. 107-171 § 10816, 116 Stat. 134, 533-35, amended the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, 7 U.S.C. §§ 1621-1637b (codified at 7 U.S.C. §§ 1638-1638d), to require retail level country of origin labeling (COOL) for ground and muscle cuts of beef, lamb, and pork, as well as farm-raised fish, wild fish, shellfish, peanuts, and fresh fruits and vegetables. However, a 2016 appropriations bill modified the products covered so that COOL laws no longer apply to muscle cuts of beef or pork. The most recent 2016 regulation applies COOL laws to lamb, chicken, and goat meat, perishable agricultural commodities, macadamia nuts, pecans, peanuts, and ginseng. Read the full overview

Note: Recently added resources are posted at the top of the applicable sections.

Major Statutes

Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, 7 U.S.C. §§ 1621-1638d
COOL Provisions, 7 U.S.C. §§ 1638-1638d
Tariff Act of 1930, 19 U.S.C. §§ 1202-1681b
Applicability, 7 U.S.C. §§ 1638d

Regulations

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

Country of Origin Labeling of Beef, Pork, Lamb, Chicken, Goat Meat, Perishable Agricultural Commodities, Macadamia Nuts, Pecans, Peanuts, and Ginseng 7 C.F.R. pt. 65
Country of Origin Labeling for Fish and Shellfish, 7 C.F.R. pt. 60
Waters of the US Appendix, 7 C.F.R. pt. 60, Subpt. A, App. A

Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)

Imported Products Labeling Regulations, 9 C.F.R. §§ 327.14-327.15
Imported Poultry Products Labeling Regulations, 9 C.F.R. §§ 381.204-381.206
United States Bureau of Customs and Border Protection Country of Origin Marking Regulations, 19 C.F.R. §§ 134.0-134.55
Federal Register Rules Open for Comment

Case Law

Case Law Index for Country of Origin Labeling (COOL)
WTO Reports of the Appellate Body: Certain Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) Requirements (June 29, 2012)
WTO Reports of the Panel: Certain Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) Requirements (Nov. 18, 2011)

Center Research Publications

Cattle Traceability: Potential Legal Implications (Rumley & Dowell)
Issue Brief: Petition for Policy Change in FSIS’ “Product of U.S.A.” Label (Lizano & Rumley, 2018)
State-Level Catfish Labeling Laws (Springsteen, 2008)


Congressional Research Service Reports

Reports
Subjects- published by CRS and made available by NALC until 2018:

International Agriculture/Trade Issues
Commodities
Animal Agriculture
Aquaculture

Agricultural Law Bibliography

Introduction   |   Keyword Search   |   Browse Categories

Legal publications on Country of Origin Labeling:

Aquaculture
Food and Drug Law
International Trade

Reference Resources

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

Country of Origin Labeling
Summary of Changes: From the Interim Final Rules (7 CFR Parts 60 and 65) to the Final Rule
COOL Compliance and Enforcement
FAQs- COOL Labeling Provisions Final Rule
Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) Frequently Asked Questions
Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) Common Questions and Answers
Training Materials for Retailers, Suppliers and State Cooperators
Abbreviations Guidance
COOL Consumer Information Factsheet (2013)
COOL Customs and Border Protection Rulings
Suggested: Repeal of Beef and Pork Requirements
COOL Compliance and Enforcement (revised 2016)
COOL Forms

Economic Research Service (ERS)

Animal Production & Marketing Issues
International Markets & U.S. Trade
Consumers Appear Indifferent to Country-of-Origin Labeling for Shrimp (Kuchler & Krisoff, 2012)
Country-of-Origin Labeling: Theory and Observation (Krissoff et al., 2004)
Economics of Food Labeling (Golan et al., 2001)

Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)

COOL – EU Labeling Requirements
Final Rule- COOL Updates (2016)

Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)

Labeling Policies
Regulations, Directives, and Notices
Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection Directory
Label Submission and Approval 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

FDA – Canada MOU Regarding Areas of Agricultural Trade (1998)
FDA/ORA Compliance Policy Guide, Sec. 560.200 Country of Origin Labeling (CPG 7119.02) (2005)

Congressional Resources

Country of Origin Labeling Reports (Government Accountability Office)
2015 USDA Report To Congress: Economic Analysis of Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) (April 2015)

Other Federal Resources

Certain Country of Origin (COOL) Labeling Requirements — Canada (Office of the United States Trade Representative)
Certain Country of Origin (COOL) Labeling Requirements – Mexico (Office of the United States Trade Representative)

International Resources

World Trade Organization
United States – Certain Country of Origin Labelling Requirements (D.S. 384)
United States – Certain Country of Origin Labelling Requirements (D.S. 386)

Publications

USDA Announces It Will Revisit Country of Origin Labeling (2020)
A COOL Repeal: Potential Outcomes of U.S. Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling Requirements on Dairy and Beef Sectors (Bonnano et al., 2016)
COOL: Information for Fair Staff (University of Wisconsin, 2016)
COOL: Information for Parents and Students (University of Wisconsin, 2016)
Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling Induced Structural Change of U.S. Meat Products (Yeboah et al. 2016)
Country of Origin Labeling (Produce Marketing Association, 2016)
Country of Origin Marking Requirements (Packing Law, 2015)
Country of Origin Labeling: Who Wants It? (Pouliot, 2013)
Understanding How the Country of Origin Labeling Program Affects Farmers (FLAG, 2009)
Market and Welfare Effects of Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling in the U.S. Specialty Crops Sector: An Application to Fresh Market Apples (Plastina et al., 2009)
Country of Origin: Just The Facts  (Avery Dennison, 2009)
Potential Impact of Country of Origin Labeling on Structure of Beef Industry (Anderson & Hudson, 2004)
Effects of Country-of-Origin Labeling on Meat Consumers and Producers (Lusk & Anderson, 2004)
Country-of-Origin Labeling and the Beef Industry (Anderson & Capps, 2004)
Country of Origin Labeling: A Legal and Economic Analysis (International Agricultural Trade and Policy Center, VanSickle et al., 2003)
Country of Origin Labeling (McEowen, 2003)
Country of Origin Labeling: It’s Time to Start Keeping Records (U. NE, 2003)

Additional Resources

Country of Origin Labeling Posts (Ag & Food Law Blog)
Compliance FAQS: Packaging and Labeling in the U.S. (Department of Commerce)
Country of Origin COOL Library (U.S. Cattlemen’s Association)
Country of Origin Labeling Resources (R-CALF USA)
Country of Origin Labeling: Enforcement and Inspection (Food Marketing Institute)