The National Chicken Council (NCC) has invited USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) officials and staff to make a presentation to NCC members regarding the new final rule for Country of Origin Labeling (COOL).  AMS has agreed to join NCC for a Webinar that NCC will host on Wednesday, June 12, 2013 beginning at 2 p.m. EDT.  The Webinar is expected to last approximately one hour and will allow NCC members time to ask questions.  NCC is pleased to announce that newly appointed AMS Administrator Anne Alonzo will make opening remarks to participants on the Webinar.

Please register for AMS-NCC Webinar on Country of Origin Labeling on June 12, 2013, 2:00 p.m. EDT at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8001238825164569856

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.  NCC will also follow-up with members via e-mail as a reminder to register.

Summary of COOL Final Rule for Labeling Muscle Cuts of Meat for Chicken:

  1. The amended final rule requires COOL labels to include specific information regarding the location where the three production steps occurred. Thus, the “U.S.” label will state: “Hatched, Raised, and Harvested in the United States.”
  2. The effective date of this regulation is May 23, 2013, and the rule is mandatory as of that date.
  3. AMS understands that it may not be feasible for all of the affected entities to achieve 100-percent compliance immediately, and that some entities will need time to make the necessary changes. Therefore, during the six-month period following the effective date of the regulation, AMS will conduct an industry education and outreach program concerning the provisions and requirements of this rule. This Webinar hosted by NCC marks the beginning of these efforts.
  4. The rule’s requirements do not apply to muscle cut covered commodities produced or packaged before the effective date of the rule (May 23, 2013). This will allow existing stock to clear the chain of commerce, thus preventing retailer and supplier confusion, and alleviate some of the economic burden on regulated entities.
  5. Regulated industries will be able to use their less specific labels (“Product of the U.S.”) until those labels are used up. After the six-month education period, retailers may continue to use the older labels as long retailers provide the more specific information (“Hatched, Raised and Harvested in the U.S.”) via other means (e.g., signage).
  6. There are no changes to record-keeping requirements for packers and suppliers of chicken to retail stores.  In the past, initiators of COOL claims were required to maintain records verifying the country of origin of muscle cuts.  Since “Product of U.S.” claims required packers to verify that chickens were hatched, raised and slaughtered in the U.S. in order to make that claim, suppliers are already required to maintain this information.
  7. If the product meets the COOL definition of U.S. origin (born, raised, and slaughtered in the U.S.), then “Product of USA” on the supporting documents (Bills of Lading, invoices) is sufficient to convey the origin information from suppliers to retailers.