FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSECOMMITTEESUBSTITUTEFOR
HOUSECONCURRENT
RESOLUTION NOS.15&9
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
2519H.02C JOSEPHENGLER,ChiefClerk
WHEREAS,Americanfarmersandranchersraisethebestmeatintheworld;and
2
3 WHEREAS,Americansshouldhavetherighttoknowinglybuymade-in-America
4products;and
5
6 WHEREAS,Americanfarmers,ranchers,workers,andconsumersbenefitfrom
7transparencyontheoriginsoftheirfood;and
8
9 WHEREAS,consumershaverepeatedlyandoverwhelminglyexpressedtheirsupport
10forcountry-of-originlabelingoffoodproductsintheUnitedStates;and
11
12 WHEREAS,in2008,theUnitedStatesCongressoverwhelminglypassedmandatory
13country-of-originlabelingformusclecutsandgroundmeatsoldatretail,requiringmeat
14producedfromimportedlivestockorimportedboxedmeattobearadifferentlabelfrommeat
15producedfromUnitedStatesborn,raised,andslaughteredlivestock;and
16
17 WHEREAS,tradegroupsandtheorganizationsrepresentingmultinationalmeat
18packersworkedpredominantlywithCanada,aswellasMexico,tobringaWorldTrade
19OrganizationcaseagainsttheUnitedStatesfortheremovalofthecountry-of-originlabeling
20requirements;and
21
22 WHEREAS,in2015,theUnitedStatesCongressrepealedthecountry-of-origin
23labelinglawforbeefandpork,reducingthecompetitiveadvantageofproductsborn,raised,
24andslaughteredintheUnitedStates;and
25
26 WHEREAS,theUnitedStateshasthehighestfoodsafetystandardsintheworld,
27whileothercountriesplacelessemphasisonfoodsafety;and
28 29 WHEREAS,foreigncommoditiessuchasbeefandporkaremisleadinglylabeled
30"ProductoftheUSA"iftheyareprocessedorpackedintheUnitedStates;and
31
32 WHEREAS,country-of-originlabelinggivesproducersandconsumerstheabilityto
33distinguishtrulyAmericanproductsfromforeignimportedmeat;and
34
35 WHEREAS, technologicaladvancementsmakeitpossibletoaccuratelyand
36efficientlyidentifytheoriginsofbeefandporkwithoutcostlyseparationofimportedand
37domesticcommodities;and
38
39 WHEREAS,country-of-originlabelingisgoodforfarmers,ranchers,workers,and
40meatpackersbecauseitallowsthemtoidentifytheirproductsasborn,raised,andslaughtered
41intheUnitedStates;and
42
43 WHEREAS,theMissouriGeneralAssemblysupportsAmericanproducts,and
44consumershavetherighttoknowtheoriginsoftheirfood:
45
46 NOWTHEREFORE BEITRESOLVEDthatthemembersoftheHouseof
47RepresentativesoftheOneHundredThirdGeneralAssembly,FirstRegularSession,the
48Senateconcurringtherein,herebysupporttherightofconsumerstoknowtheoriginsoftheir
49food;supporttheuseofcountry-of-originlabelsonmeatsoldintheUnitedStates;urgethe
50PresidentoftheUnitedStatestodirecttheUSDAtomaketheircountry-of-originlabeling
51rulemandatory;urgetheUnitedStatesCongresstoreinstatemandatorycountry-of-origin
52labeling;andrequirethatmeatproductsclaimingtobe"MadeinAmerica"shallbederived
53solelyfromanimalsthatwereborn,raised,slaughtered,andprocessedintheUnitedStates;
54and
55
56 BEITFURTHERRESOLVEDthattheChiefClerkoftheMissouriHouseof
57Representativesbeinstructedtoprepareaproperlyinscribedcopyofthisresolutionforthe
58PresidentoftheUnitedStates,theSpeakeroftheUnitedStatesHouseofRepresentatives,the
59MajorityLeaderoftheUnitedStatesSenate,andeachmemberofMissouri'sCongressional
60delegation.
✔
HCSHCRs15&9 2