Plan would require meat labeling
US - Work is set to begin next week on a plan to implement a state law requiring that meat sold in Montana grocery and other stores be labeled to show country of origin.Fed up with attempts on the national level, supported by Montana's and South Dakota's Senate and House delegations to Washington D.C., to enact a country-of-origin meat labeling law, Montana is looking to lead the way.
An advisory council charged with writing rules for the so-called placarding law plans to hold its first meeting Feb. 22.
The hope is to have a rough draft of rules - or at the least some "very good ideas in place to make a first draft" - by the end of the day, said Jack Kane, chief of the weights and measures bureau in the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.
The department will oversee the labeling program. Inspectors from the weights and measures bureau now visit Montana retailers about twice a year, Kane said.
"The time for discussing whether this (labeling) is a good idea or bad idea is long gone," he said.
"We're here now, so let's make rules palatable to all involved." The law requires retailers to post placards denoting the country of origin for beef, lamb, pork and poultry products. If the origin of the product is unknown, that must be disclosed, as well.
Source: Argus Leader
13 February 2006
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