Tag: COOL

  • Court Dismisses Beef “Product of the USA” Lawsuit

    A New Mexico federal court has dismissed allegations that several food companies falsely labeled beef as a “Product of the USA” because the cattle were raised in other countries but brought to the United States for slaughter and processing. Shook attorneys represented Tyson Foods Inc. in the litigation. Lucero v. Tyson Foods Inc., No. 20-0106 (D.N.M.,…

  • Cattlemen’s Challenge to COOL Removal Rule Dismissed

    A Washington federal court has granted summary judgment to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in a lawsuit filed by ranchers and cattle producers challenging the agency’s regulations governing the removal of country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for beef and pork. Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund v. USDA, No. 17-0223 (entered June 5, 2018). The complaint alleged that the…

  • U.S. Customs Issues Rule on Coffee Bean Sourcing

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a final determination that the country of origin of coffee beans is the country in which the coffee beans are roasted. CBP ruled that “roasting green coffee beans substantially transforms the beans into a new and different article of commerce.” The agency issues country-of-origin rulings “for the…

  • Livestock Associations Sue USDA for COOL Rule Repeal

    Two livestock trade associations have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) alleging the agency’s 2016 repeal of marking and labeling regulations violates the Meat Inspection Act and the Tariff Act. Ranchers-­Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of Am. v. U.S. Dept of Agric., No. 17-­0223 (E.D. Wash., filed June 19, 2017).…

  • Italians Dispute “Made in Italy” Definition in Food­-Source Labeling Initiative

    Italian food producers reportedly disagree on how to define whether a food product is “made in Italy” in accordance with the country’s attempt to distinguish food produced in Italy, such as parmesan cheese or prosecco, from similar foods produced outside of the country. The dispute centers on whether foods manufactured in Italy using foreign ingredients…

  • Italy Proposes New COOL Rule for Pre-Packaged Foods

    Italy has reportedly proposed new legislation that would require food manufacturers to include country-­of­-origin labeling (COOL) on all pre-­packaged food labels or face fines of up to €18,000. Under the proposal, food­-product labels must list an Italian address for the food’s production facility or indicate that the food is made outside of the country. Italy’s…

  • Meat Industry’s COOL Challenge Dropped

    Challengers to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s country-of-origin labeling (COOL) rules requiring meat products to indicate where the animals were born, raised and slaughtered reportedly will not continue to pursue their claims, according to a stipulation of dismissal. Am. Meat Inst. v. USDA, No. 13-1033 (D.C., stipulation filed February 9, 2015). The meat and poultry…

  • U.S. Government Appeals WTO Ruling on COOL Rules

    The United States has appealed the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) ruling in favor of Canada and Mexico in a dispute over U.S. country-of-origin labeling (COOL) regulations requiring pork and beef products originating outside the United States to carry labels specifying their sources. The appeal notification circulated to WTO members indicated that the United States has…