In 2002, Congress passed a law requiring country-of-origin labeling on all seafood, meat, poultry, and produce sold in this country. Someone, apparently, thought we had the right to know where our food comes from—a case of rare governmental foresight, given the current wave of food scares coming out of China. But if you wander past the meat counter at your local supermarket, you will notice that most, if not all, of the cuts on display bear no indication of where they were produced. It turns out that the big beef industry, which processes a great deal of imported meat, is so powerful that it ignores the law with impunity, aided and abetted by Congressman Henry Bonilla, a Texas Republican. Rep. Bonilla pushed through a series of measures that delayed application of the law to meat (but not seafood). The most recent—and cynical—forbade the Agriculture department from spending money to implement the law. But that loophole closes in September, and according to United Press, some Democrats are pushing to put some real teeth into the labeling law. They face formidable opposition from the powerful meatpacking lobby, but one old foe is no longer a threat—Bonilla was defeated in last November's election. Is there a message there for other legislators?
Politics of the Plate: Mystery Meats
07.09.07
- Keywords
- meat,
- food policy,
- labeling,
- politics of the plate,
- barry estabrook
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