AMS No. 179-08

Billy Cox (202) 720-8998

billy.cox@usda.gov

Hakim Fobia (202) 690-0488

hakim.fobia@usda.gov

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2008 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will hold three informational sessions about country of origin labeling (COOL) for covered commodities sold at retail. These sessions will provide detailed information about the COOL program to growers, packers, suppliers, handlers, retailers, consumers and other interested parties.

Effective Sept. 30, 2008, the 2002 and 2008 Farm Bills require country of origin labeling for all beef, pork, lamb, goat, chicken, fresh and frozen fruit and vegetable, peanut, pecan, ginseng and macadamia nut covered commodities sold by designated retailers. Since April 2005, country of origin labeling and the method of production have been required for fish and shellfish covered commodities sold at retail.

In Aug. 2008, AMS issued an interim final rule which requested comments on setting the requirements for retailers and their suppliers for the mandatory COOL program starting Sept. 30. The comment period closes Sept. 30.

Specifically, the sessions will be held:

September 26 -- College Station, TX

9a.m. - 12:00p.m. CT

Texas A&M University

Rudder Tower Complex - Room 601

College Station, Texas 77843

October 7 -- Minneapolis-Lakeville, MN

1:30p.m. - 4:30p.m. CT

Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, Minneapolis-Lakeville

20800 Kenrick Avenue

Lakeville, Minnesota 55044

October 9 -- Los Angeles, CA

1:30p.m. - 4:30p.m. PT

Marriott Renaissance Montura Hotel Los Angeles Airport

9620 Airport Blvd.

Los Angeles, California 90045

Details about the sessions, including registration forms and directions, can be found at http://www.ams.usda.gov/cool. Follow the link to Informational Sessions. For more information about the COOL sessions, contact Livestock and Seed Standards, Analysis and Technology Branch Chief Martin O’Connor at tel. (202) 720-4486.