On the recordApril 14, 2011
today, I am reintroducing the Dairy Country Of Origin Labeling Act, or Dairy COOL, with Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, Senator Sherrod Brown, and Senator Sanders. Our bill is very straightforward; it simply extends country of origin labeling requirements to dairy products. The current country of origin labeling law, which went into effect in 2008, applies to meats, produce, and nuts, but it doesn't include dairy products. Our bill adds dairy products--including milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and butter-- to the list. This bill is about families. Minnesota families should have the right to know where the food they buy was produced. Consumers have this information for meat and produce; they should have it for the dairy products they feed their families every day. Minnesota dairy farmers and family farmers across the Nation should have the right to distinguish their products from imported products. Hardly a week goes by where you don't hear another story of contaminated food and toys that were imported from foreign countries but only discovered after they were in American homes. Labeling our dairy products lets parents make informed choices at the grocery store. It gives consumers the information they need to be confident about the quality and safety of the food they buy. Farming is a risky business.…
