Some in Congress seek implementation of 5-year-old program to give country of origin on meat, other foods

Shoppers are in the dark about where much of their food comes from despite a 5-year-old law requiring meat and other products to carry labels with their country of origin.

That soon may change. Reports of tainted seafood from China have raised consumer awareness about the safety of imported food and many of the law's most powerful opponents have left Congress.

"The political dynamic is such that there's just no getting around it," said Colin Woodall, director of legislative affairs for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. The livestock group has opposed a mandatory labeling program.

The Agriculture Department never put in place the labeling requirement because then-majority Republicans repeatedly delayed it, most recently to 2008. The law's leading opponents are grocery stores and large meatpacking companies, many of whom mix U.S. and Mexican beef, along with other businesses involved in getting products to consumers. They say the tracking and paperwork needed to comply with the law is too burdensome and would cause them to raise prices.

Those interests had influential allies on Capitol Hill - mostly Texas Republicans - before Democrats took over this year. President George W. Bush, a Texan who has strong ties to the cattle industry, never has liked the labeling law, either.

The labeling requirement, popular with small, independent ranchers who sell their own products, applies to certain cuts of beef, lamb, pork, as well as to peanuts, fruits and vegetables. Processed foods are exempt. So are restaurants and other food service establishments. The labeling program was not delayed for seafood.

House supporters of the labeling law are working to make sure it goes into effect next year. Congress plans hearings this week on whether the Food and Drug Administration can ensure the safety of the nation's food supply.

In the wake of increased U.S. complaints about tainted Chinese products, the Chinese government announced that it has suspended imports of chicken feet, pig ears and other animal products from seven U.S. companies. Beijing claimed the American meat had contaminants.

"When consumers hear about all these things in China, their tendency is to avoid things from China," said Chris Waldrop of the Consumer Federation of America. "But they can't because we don't have country-of-origin labeling, so they are left in the supermarket to their own devices."

Regina Hildwine, director of food labeling and standards for the Grocery Manufacturers Association, says the labels will be "additional noise" on crowded packaging. "There's a lot more information on a label that's more important for a consumer to understand, like nutrition facts," she said.

Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) said he will try to beat back language in a spending bill that would establish firm guidelines to begin the labeling in September 2008. LaHood is siding with the meatpacking companies and grocery chains.

"It's going to cause a lot of heartburn," he said.

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