Country-of-origin beef labeling proposal puts ranchers, retailers at odds

The Trump administration is considering bringing back mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef as ranchers push back against plans to increase imports of lean beef trimmings used in ground beef, The New York Times reports. 

The administration says labeling could give consumers a choice between potentially more expensive U.S. beef and cheaper products containing imported beef, while helping ranchers distinguish their cattle in the marketplace. 

Under a Sept. 4 executive order, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and the U.S. Trade Representative have 90 days to review the legal and economic implications of mandatory labeling and determine whether new regulations can be issued or whether legislative action would be needed.

The proposal is dividing the cattle industry. Independent and smaller ranchers generally support mandatory labeling, while retailers, meatpackers, feedlot operators and larger ranchers have raised concerns about the costs of tracking cattle and maintaining origin information throughout the supply chain. 

Beef and pork lost mandatory labeling requirements in 2015 after Congress rescinded them following a World Trade Organization dispute, and the USDA formally amended its regulations in 2016. Previous USDA analysis found that the costs of mandatory labeling could outweigh its economic benefits, while research suggests consumers place greater importance on factors such as taste, freshness and price than country of origin. 

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