On January 12, 2009 the United States Department of Agriculture announced details of the final regulation for the mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) program required by the 2002 and 2008 farm bills. The full text of the final rule will be published in the January 15, 2009 Federal Register. The rule becomes effective on March 16, 2009. Copies of the final rule and additional information are available at http://www.ams.usda.gov/COOL.

The rule covers

• muscle cuts and ground beef, lamb, chicken, goat and pork
• wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish
• perishable agricultural commodities
  (specifically fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables)
• macadamia nuts
• pecans
• ginseng
• and peanuts

Commodities covered under COOL must be labeled at retail to indicate its country of origin. For fish and shellfish, the method of production -- wild or farm-raised -- must be specified. Commodities are excluded from mandatory COOL if the commodity is an ingredient in a processed food item.

For additional information, select one of the following links.

• Complete USDA press release (Release No. 0006.09)
• Agricultural Marketing Service - Country of Origin Labeling
• USDA AMS Frequently Asked Questions
• Agricultural Marketing Servce - Commodity Areas