USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack is asking, but not telling, the meat industry to go above and beyond labeling requirements set out in new regulations finalized during the Bush administration.

The Bush regulation requires country-of-origin labeling, or COOL, on a variety of perishable goods including beef, pork, poultry, fish and other meat and non-meat products.

But the regulation includes loopholes that could continue to leave consumers in the dark as to the origins of their food. For example, the regulation defines processed foods, which are exempt from some requirements, in an overly broad way.

Vilsack is sending letters to industry representatives asking them to voluntarily close some of these loopholes. If industry does not heed his advice, Vilsack warns he will reopen the rulemaking process and change the regulation, thereby turning his suggestions into requirements. Vilsack writes, “Though it is important for the COOL Final Rule to go into effect in a timely manner and for the rule to proceed with the March 16, 2009, implementation date, there are certain components of the Final Rule promulgated by the previous Administration that raise legitimate concerns.”

For a better description of the loopholes, Vilsack’s letter, and background on the rule, see OMB Watch’s article, “USDA Announces Changes to Food Labeling Rule.”

Vilsack’s approach has pros and cons. The upside is that producers, transporters, and retailers may decide to adopt Vilsack’s suggestions and provide for consumers a fuller description of the path their food has taken from farm to table. By not attempting a new regulations, a lengthy process, Vilsack is attempting to generate results in the short term.

The downside is, of course, that it is all voluntary. American Meat Institute president J. Patrick Boyle told Pork Magazine (yes, that’s a real thing), "To the extent that companies are able and elect to go beyond these federal labeling requirements, as requested by Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, is an individual company decision, which will have to be made in collaboration with a company's retail grocery customers.”

Not exactly a clarion call for voluntary compliance.

Consumers may then face inconsistency. A product at one grocery store may bear a COOL label, but a similar product at another store will not.

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