Chuck Grassley: “I believe the American consumer has a right to know the country of origin of the meat they are purchasing, just as…”

“I believe the American consumer has a right to know the country of origin of the meat they are purchasing, just as consumers know the origin of their clothes, their cars, and their cameras. Even the U.S. Department of Agriculture cites in its rule that recently came out that the survey findings show that country-of-origin labeling is of interest to the majority of consumers. I said even the U.S. Department of Agriculture has said this because I happen to believe, in observing the U.S. Department of Agriculture over the last 12 months, that it has worked against the country-of-origin labeling legislation ever since it passed into law as part of the 2002 farm bill. The initial cost estimates of the U.S. Department of Agriculture were outlandish, and thankfully the General Accounting Office called the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the basis of its claims. The U.S. Department of Agriculture then revised its cost estimates by lowering the potential cost of the program. This newly revised figure allowed for an overall cost range of between $582 million and $3.9 billion in the first years.”