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Agency Response: Numerous comments received on this and
previous COOL rulemaking actions indicate that there clearly is
interest by certain U.S. consumers in the country of origin of
food they purchase, including the production step information
that retailers must provide pursuant to this final rule. The
Agency also considers that providing this more specific
information regarding the country in which each production step
occurred is consistent with the COOL statute. The Agency
further considers that the rule will bring the United States
into compliance with its international trade obligations.
In addition, current country of origin labeling for
imported meat products follows pre-existing regulations,
including those of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection,
regarding the origin of imported products. Further, the
“inspected and passed” sticker is applied under the FMIA by FSIS
inspectors and does not relate to the COOL program. The Agency
is not aware that the requirements set forth in the 2009 final
rule are causing any confusion among consumers related to meat
products sold with the "inspected and passed" label. In any
event, as noted above, this final rule does not change existing
COOL labeling requirements for imported meat products nor does
it alter the "inspected and passed" sticker. As such, there is
no reason to believe that this rule will cause confusion related
to the "inspected and passed" sticker among consumers.
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