COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING COOL

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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING(COOL)

• Jeri Kahana
• Commodities Branch
• Hawaii Department of Agriculture

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Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of
2002(2002 Farm Bill)

• Requires retailers to provide country-of-origin
  labeling for beef, lamb, pork, fish, perishable
  agricultural commodities and peanuts
• Delayed implementation for all covered
  commodities except wild and farm-raised fish and
  shellfish until Sept. 30, 2008

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Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008(2008
Farm Bill)

• Expanded the list of covered commodities to also
  include chicken, goat, ginseng, pecans, and
  macadamia nuts

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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

• Covered Commodities
• Muscle cuts of beef (including veal), lamb,
  chicken, goat, and pork ground beef, ground
  lamb, ground chicken, ground goat, and ground
  pork fish and shellfish fresh and frozen fruits
  and vegetables pecans peanuts ginseng and
  macadamia nuts.

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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

• Processed Food Items Exempted
• Items of different origins that are combined with
  at least one other covered commodity or
  substantive food component
• Undergone further processing resulting in change
  in commodity character
• (i.e. cooking, curing, smoking and
  restructuring, roasting)

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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

• Who must label The Retailer
• A Retail business engaged in the selling of fresh
  and frozen fruits and vegetables with an annual
  invoice value of more than 230,000 during a
  calendar year
• Licensed by PACA

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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

• Exempt Establishments
• Food service establishments including salad bars
  and delis providing ready-to-eat foods
• Butcher shops, fish markets, and exporters are
  excluded

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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

• Consumer Notification
• Requires country of origin labeling by retailers
  of covered commodities conspicuously located at
  the final point of sale
• If from multiple origins, must list all countries
  of origin

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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

• Label Information
• Labels must use commonly understood designations
  such as
• Product of Hawaii, USA
• Product of USA

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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

• Acceptable Retail Labels
• Acceptable origin abbreviations only recognized
  by U.S. Customs may be used
• No specific size of lettering
• State or Regional designations are acceptable in
  lieu of U.S.

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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

• Acceptable Retail Labeling (cont)
• Can either be in the form of a placard or sign,
  label, sticker, band, twist tie, pin tag or other
  format
• May use also stamp, mark, or other clear and
  visible sign on the package, display, holding
  unit, or bin

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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

• State and Regional Labeling Program
• State, regional or locality label designations
  are acceptable
• (i.e. California Grown)
• State-level country of origin programs governed
  by this regulation are preempted

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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

• Supplier Responsibility
• The law requires suppliers of covered commodities
  must provide origin information to buyers
• May be specified on invoice, bill of lading,
  placard on bulk containers, or on individual
  packages

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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

• Recordkeeping
• All records must be legible and maintained
  electronically or in hard copy format
• May be maintained in any location for at least
  one year
• When requested, provide records to USDA
  representatives within five business days

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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

• Recordkeeping (cont)
• Retailer Responsibility
• Required to maintain records for
• one year from date origin is declared at retail
• Pre-labeled commodities, label is sufficient
  evidence to establish the origin

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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

• Questions? Please contact -
• Jeri.M.Kahana_at_hawaii.gov
• Phone [phone]
• Brenda.M.Okazaki_at_hawaii.gov
• Phone [phone]