FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSECONCURRENT
RESOLUTION NO.15
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVECHRISTENSEN.
2519H.01I JOSEPHENGLER,ChiefClerk
WHEREAS,Americanfarmersandranchersraisethebestmeatintheworld;and
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3 WHEREAS,Americansshouldhavetherighttoknowinglybuymade-in-America
4products;and
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6 WHEREAS,Americanfarmers,ranchers,workers,andconsumersbenefitfrom
7transparencyontheoriginsoftheirfood;and
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9 WHEREAS,consumershaverepeatedlyandoverwhelminglyexpressedtheirsupport
10forcountry-of-originlabelingoffoodproductsintheUnitedStates;and
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12 WHEREAS,in2008,theUnitedStatesCongressoverwhelminglypassedmandatory
13country-of-originlabelingformusclecutsandgroundmeatsoldatretail,requiringmeat
14producedfromimportedlivestockorimportedboxedmeattobearadifferentlabelfrommeat
15producedfromUnitedStatesborn,raised,andslaughteredlivestock;and
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17 WHEREAS,tradegroupsandtheorganizationsrepresentingmultinationalmeat
18packersworkedpredominantlywithCanada,aswellasMexico,tobringaWorldTrade
19OrganizationcaseagainsttheUnitedStatesfortheremovalofthecountry-of-originlabeling
20requirements;and
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22 WHEREAS,in2015,theUnitedStatesCongressrepealedthecountry-of-origin
23labelinglawforbeefandpork,reducingthecompetitiveadvantageofproductsborn,raised,
24andslaughteredintheUnitedStates;and
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26 WHEREAS,theUnitedStateshasthehighestfoodsafetystandardsintheworld,
27whileothercountriesplacelessemphasisonfoodsafety;and 28
29 WHEREAS,foreigncommoditiessuchasbeefandporkaremisleadinglylabeled
30"ProductoftheUSA"iftheyareprocessedorpackedintheUnitedStates;and
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32 WHEREAS,country-of-originlabelinggivesproducersandconsumerstheabilityto
33distinguishtrulyAmericanproductsfromforeignimportedmeat;and
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35 WHEREAS, technologicaladvancementsmakeitpossibletoaccuratelyand
36efficientlyidentifytheoriginsofbeefandporkwithoutcostlyseparationofimportedand
37domesticcommodities;and
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39 WHEREAS,country-of-originlabelingisgoodforfarmers,ranchers,workers,and
40meatpackersbecauseitallowsthemtoidentifytheirproductsasborn,raised,andslaughtered
41intheUnitedStates;and
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43 WHEREAS,theMissouriGeneralAssemblysupportsAmericanproducts,and
44consumershavetherighttoknowtheoriginsoftheirfood:
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46 NOWTHEREFORE BEITRESOLVEDthatthemembersoftheHouseof
47RepresentativesoftheOneHundredThirdGeneralAssembly,FirstRegularSession,the
48Senateconcurringtherein,herebysupporttherightofconsumerstoknowtheoriginsoftheir
49food,supporttheuseofcountry-of-originlabels,andurgetheUnitedStatesCongressto
50reinstatemandatorycountry-of-originlabeling;and
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52 BEITFURTHERRESOLVEDthattheChiefClerkoftheMissouriHouseof
53Representativesbeinstructedtoprepareaproperlyinscribedcopyofthisresolutionforeach
54memberofMissouri'sCongressionaldelegation.
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