| | Date
The Honorable ______________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative ___________:
I am a pork producer from your district and am writing to ask for your help with
a new law that will affect my operation - mandatory country-of-origin meat
labeling. I am opposed to this legislation because I will have no way to recoup
the additional costs on my hog operation even if there are increased consumer
prices at the retail level.
The idea to label pork products "Made in the U.S.A." sounded like a good idea
when I first heard it. But from what I'm reading in the newspapers and learning
from my hog buyer it now appears to me that I will spend a lot of time, money
and effort to comply with this law and receive little or no benefit.
The country-of-origin meat labeling law will become mandatory in the Fall of
2004 and it will likely require me to meet new record keeping requirements,
provide audits for my hog operation, and require me to sign legal documents just
to sell my hogs to packers. Plus, I've heard there is a possibility that I would
be liable for any fines or additional cost should my records be found out of
order.
I want you to know that I've been selling hogs for more than a year at or below
breakeven prices. I just can't afford to add more regulatory costs to my hog
operation without gaining an economic return. I already face enough livestock
environmental regulations and I don't need to comply with more governmental red
tape coming out of Washington.
I've talked to several of my neighbors and other Missouri pork producers and I
think you should work to repeal the mandatory provision and keep
country-of-origin meat labeling as a voluntary program. It looks pretty clear to
me that this new law will add additional costs to my hog operation and not raise
hog prices. So lets keep it a voluntary program and if someone can achieve some
economic gains let them do so.
Sincerely,
Name
Address
City/State/Zip
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