HCSHCRs15&9--COUNTRY-OF-ORIGINLABELING
SPONSOR: Christensen
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheSpecial
CommitteeonIntergovernmental Affairsbyavoteof15to0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstitutefor
HCR15.
ThisHouseConcurrentResolutionspecifiesthattheMissouri
GeneralAssemblysupportstherightofconsumerstoknowthe
originsoftheirfood,theuseofcountry-of-originlabels,and
urgestheUnitedStatesCongressandthePresidenttoreinstate
mandatorycountry-of-originlabeling.
ThisbillisthesameasHCR9(2025),HCR5(2023);andHCR
35(2024).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: SupporterssaythatAmericanfarmersproducethebest
cattleintheworld,andtherearecostsassociatedwiththat.
Becauseourfarmershavetocomplywithgreaterhealthandsafety
standards,theyareundercutinpricebyforeign-raisedcattle;
theyneedacompetitiveedge,andtheabilitytoclearly
communicatewhetherbeefisAmericanorfromanothercountrycan
givethisedge,becauseconsumerswanttobuyAmerican.
Unfortunately, animalsborn,raised,andslaughteredelsewhereare
abletobelabeledasAmerican,evenifallthathappensinthis
countryistheslaughter,slicing,orrepackaging. Country-of-
originlabelingworkedwellinthepastandshouldbemandatory
again.Foreigninterestswouldn'tbeagainstthislabelingifit
didn'thurtthem,andthelegislatureshouldbeonthesideof
independentcattlemenintheUnitedStates.Canadaalready
requirescountry-of-originlabelinganditiseasytotrackbecause
cattlearebrandedwhentheyenterthecountry. Americancattlemen
arestrugglingfinanciallyandmanyhaveconvertedcattle-grazing
landtoproducerowcrops.Thisleadstosoildamageanderosion
becausethatlandshouldneverhavebeenfarmedinthatwayinthe
fistplace.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Christensen;
ArnieDienoff;FreddieKeaton,IndependentCattlemenofMissouri;
KenWolken,IndependentCattlemenofMissouri;BenThomas,
IndependentCattlemenofMissouri;RobertMaxThornsberryDvm,
IndependentCattlemenofMissouri;J.MicahBristow,Circle5Cow School;LarryUrton;DonaldYoungJr.;andJamieP.Blair,Missouri
RuralCrisisCenter.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatwhilecountry-of-
originlabelingisagoodthing,itisbestachievedthrough
voluntary,industry-ledprograms. Thegovernment'sprevious
mandatorycountry-of-originlabelinglawcosttheindustrybillions
withoutbenefitsfortheproducers. Thereasonitdoesn'thelp
producersisthatthelabelsaretinyandeasilyignored,whereas
voluntaryindustry-ledprogramsaremoreconspicuous. TheWorld
TradeOrganizationalsoleviedsanctionsoverthemandatory
labeling. TheprogramwillalsonecessitateElectronic
Identification (EID)ofcows,whichtheindustryopposes. Costs
arelikelytobepassedalongtotheconsumer.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwereMissouriPork
Association;MissouriFarmBureau;MikeDeering,Missouri
Cattlemen'sAssociation;JeffReed,RollingShoalsFarm;Missouri
ChamberofCommerceandIndustry.
OTHERS:Otherstestifyingonthebillsaythereisdissentamong
membersoftheMissouricattleman'sassociation,andthisisthe
righttimetobepassingtheseresolutionstogetopinionsto
Congressbeforethenextfarmbill.
TestifyinginpersononthebillwasStevenCarroll.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.