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,


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