National Coalition Extends Deadline for MCOOL Sign-on Letter

Billings, Mont. – Earlier this month, a broad-based group of national organizations representing farm, ranch, rural, consumer, environmental, manufacturer and worker interests formed a loose-knit national coalition to expedite the enactment of the American Beef Labeling Act of 2021 (S.2716), which requires beef sold in U.S. grocery stores to be labeled as to where the animal was born, raised, and harvested. Such labeling is known as mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL) for beef. 

The coalition is circulating an organizational sign-on letter calling on all U.S. senators to cosponsor and swiftly enact S.2716. The original deadline for organizations to sign onto the joint letter was set for tomorrow. But the coalition met this morning with offices of the original senate sponsors and decided to extend the deadline for signatories until midnight on Thursday, December 2, 2021. 

Already, the joint letter has been signed by over 300 organizations and businesses representing a diverse cross-section of the U.S. economy.  

In support of MCOOL for beef, the joint letter states, “American consumers deserve the right to choose, American cattle farmers and ranchers deserve the right to compete for the consumers’ favor in their domestic market, and meat processing workers deserve quality jobs.”

Bipartisan cosponsors of Senate Bill 2716 currently include Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Mike Rounds (R-S.Dak.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Hoeven (R-N.Dak.), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.Mex.).

The joint letter can be accessed and signed at www.labelourbeef.com. 

R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard, a member of the coalition circulating the joint letter, said, “Knowing the origins of food is becoming increasingly important to consumers and we’re looking forward to empowering them with the opportunity to choose to support America’s cattle farmers and ranchers with this important legislation.”