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US Court Of Appeals Upholds Country Of Origin Labeling Laws

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Last week the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia unanimously upheld the Country of Origin Labeling Law.

The law requires that packaged meat and poultry must have a label that clearly states the product’s country of origin. And it must detail how the animal was raised and slaughtered. The law also requires that muscle cuts of meat from animals slaughtered in different countries can’t be mixed in packaging.

Wilma Tope is a board member of the Powder River Basin Resource Council and is a rancher in northeastern Wyoming. She said the court’s decision is a win for both producers and consumers.

“The producer so that we can kind of showcase that we have our good beef from our country, and for the consumers because they absolutely have the right to know what they’re eating,” said Tope.

Tope has been ranching with her husband for 35 years, and said that recently she’s seen more consumers interested in the origin of their food. She says upholding labeling laws gives customers a better idea of where their food came from – and where their money is going.

“I think it’s not only just to know that this is beef from the United States, but in general many consumers want to support US business people,” said Tope.

The decision comes after a sub-panel upheld the labeling law in March, but later agreed a second review was necessary.

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