Beef Industry Opposes Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling in Farm Bill

Ethan Lane, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, stated that mandatory country of origin labeling in the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Farm Bill is detrimental to U.S. cattle producers and consumers. Lane referenced a recent study from Kansas State University, which suggests that consumers do not base their purchases on where the beef originates. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association instead supports voluntary programs, such as the USDA’s “Product of USA” label.

The debate over mandatory labeling relates to past rules that violated World Trade Organization guidelines, leading to threats of billion-dollar tariffs from Canada and Mexico. The provision directly impacts U.S. beef producers and the structure of agricultural trade policy.