Bart Stupak: “Right now there are two States. Florida is actually one of them. So is the State of Maine. In this bus trip we asked…”

“Right now there are two States. Florida is actually one of them. So is the State of Maine. In this bus trip we asked agricultural people, what does it cost if we would say you have to label your fresh fruits and vegetable products from the country of origin so the consumer would know? They said, it costs, according to State officials, $4 for every store you own a year, $4 for every store. There were some consumer groups and we asked them. I will take it back, it was $4 a month. So we asked the consumer advocacy groups what did they think. Florida said it was $4 per month per store. What do you think it is? They said, at most it is $8 to $10 per month per store. That is the added cost, very limited, very, very limited. So there is not a big financial incentive why not to do it, but again, should not the American consumer have the final say on where they want their fruit, vegetables, especially during wintertime, where it is grown, you choose where you want to take it from, that that Nation does not live up to our standards like on irrigation water and illegal use of pesticides, then you should have the right to say, I reject that fruit or vegetable from Mexico. I would rather have U.S.- grown because I know the standards it lives by. That is all we are trying to do is, what are the safety standards. We talk about safety standards all the time.”