techs
Lifer
http://health.yahoo.com/expert...beling-law-really-cool
The new USDA food label law, COOL (an acronym for Country-Of-Origin-Labeling program), took effect March 16, 2009, and already commentators are trying to predict what its impact on Americans will be, from possible negative effects (e.g., higher food prices) to potential benefits (e.g., a safer food supply).
According to the USDA, COOL labeling will apply to many kinds of meats and fish: muscle cuts, ground beef, chicken, pork, and goat, as well as farm- and wild-raised fish and shellfish. COOL labeling will also appear on certain perishable agricultural commodities, such as fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables (with some exceptions, notably packages of assorted produce, such as mixed lettuce types, as well as some processed foods like cured or smoked meats and roasted peanuts). Also covered by COOL are pecans, peanuts, macadamia nuts, and ginseng.
Excluded are the foods dispensed at cafeterias, lunch rooms, food stands, bars, lounges, restaurants, and other food-service sites.
The new legislation is estimated to come at a cost of $2.5 billion, and already there's been speculation about how much of that tab will be footed by the American taxpayer.
Is our health worth it?
Well, consider this: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year 76 million people are sickened by tainted food, with 300,000 of them needing to be hospitalized and 5,000 dying. The new COOL labeling program may help improve these statistics and provide other potential benefits to Americans.
Some potential benefits of COOL to U.S. consumers:
COOL could help encourage fairer competition, particularly for U.S. farmers on the borders of Canada and Mexico, who are losing out due to lower across-the-border prices.
Cool will furnish consumers with much more important information about the foods they buy. COOL labels, for example, will list the amounts of potential toxins that are found in numerous foods, pretty crucial information given that farm-raised salmon is estimated to contain 16 times the amount of PCBs found in wild salmon. (Source: Environmental Working Group)
COOL will reduce safety risks. Knowing the origins of the meat you are purchasing, as well as how that animal was raised and slaughtered, will familiarize you with the food safety and cleanliness records of the various countries of origin.
COOL could potentially tell consumers whether a particular country adheres to organic food standards. Although the findings are still controversial, some research appears to suggest that, over the course of years, the pesticides and hormones used in traditional farming can actually cause genetic changes in the human body that induce inflammation and increase the risk for disorders such as diabetes, obesity, and cancer.
The COOL legislation could help us to reduce our carbon footprint. Because the COOL label will list the countries of origin, we will be able to buy local meats, seafood, and produce more often?in some cases, right down to a particular city and state and farm. Buying as many local foods as possible will allow us to reduce the costs and greenhouse gases that are generated when foods must be shipped over great distances. If one day grocery stores were able to offer mostly local produce, it would be a big plus for farmers and for the health of our planet.
Potential negative consequences of COOL include:
Increased costs passed on to U.S. tax payers, which might even lessen the ability of some Americans to purchase fresh meat and produce.
Possible increase in fast-food consumption due to these financial constraints.
Potential reductions of variety and selection, if U.S. consumers gradually start purchasing only foods manufactured in the U.S. or in other particular regions.
What do you think about the COOL program, dear readers? I?d love to hear from you!
Cliffs:
Many foods will now be labeled with Country of Origin.
COOL will list toxins generally found in the food.
The cost will be about 2.5 billion dollars. Actually quite small compared to the total cost of food.
Basically, I'm cool with COOL.
The new USDA food label law, COOL (an acronym for Country-Of-Origin-Labeling program), took effect March 16, 2009, and already commentators are trying to predict what its impact on Americans will be, from possible negative effects (e.g., higher food prices) to potential benefits (e.g., a safer food supply).
According to the USDA, COOL labeling will apply to many kinds of meats and fish: muscle cuts, ground beef, chicken, pork, and goat, as well as farm- and wild-raised fish and shellfish. COOL labeling will also appear on certain perishable agricultural commodities, such as fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables (with some exceptions, notably packages of assorted produce, such as mixed lettuce types, as well as some processed foods like cured or smoked meats and roasted peanuts). Also covered by COOL are pecans, peanuts, macadamia nuts, and ginseng.
Excluded are the foods dispensed at cafeterias, lunch rooms, food stands, bars, lounges, restaurants, and other food-service sites.
The new legislation is estimated to come at a cost of $2.5 billion, and already there's been speculation about how much of that tab will be footed by the American taxpayer.
Is our health worth it?
Well, consider this: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year 76 million people are sickened by tainted food, with 300,000 of them needing to be hospitalized and 5,000 dying. The new COOL labeling program may help improve these statistics and provide other potential benefits to Americans.
Some potential benefits of COOL to U.S. consumers:
COOL could help encourage fairer competition, particularly for U.S. farmers on the borders of Canada and Mexico, who are losing out due to lower across-the-border prices.
Cool will furnish consumers with much more important information about the foods they buy. COOL labels, for example, will list the amounts of potential toxins that are found in numerous foods, pretty crucial information given that farm-raised salmon is estimated to contain 16 times the amount of PCBs found in wild salmon. (Source: Environmental Working Group)
COOL will reduce safety risks. Knowing the origins of the meat you are purchasing, as well as how that animal was raised and slaughtered, will familiarize you with the food safety and cleanliness records of the various countries of origin.
COOL could potentially tell consumers whether a particular country adheres to organic food standards. Although the findings are still controversial, some research appears to suggest that, over the course of years, the pesticides and hormones used in traditional farming can actually cause genetic changes in the human body that induce inflammation and increase the risk for disorders such as diabetes, obesity, and cancer.
The COOL legislation could help us to reduce our carbon footprint. Because the COOL label will list the countries of origin, we will be able to buy local meats, seafood, and produce more often?in some cases, right down to a particular city and state and farm. Buying as many local foods as possible will allow us to reduce the costs and greenhouse gases that are generated when foods must be shipped over great distances. If one day grocery stores were able to offer mostly local produce, it would be a big plus for farmers and for the health of our planet.
Potential negative consequences of COOL include:
Increased costs passed on to U.S. tax payers, which might even lessen the ability of some Americans to purchase fresh meat and produce.
Possible increase in fast-food consumption due to these financial constraints.
Potential reductions of variety and selection, if U.S. consumers gradually start purchasing only foods manufactured in the U.S. or in other particular regions.
What do you think about the COOL program, dear readers? I?d love to hear from you!
Cliffs:
Many foods will now be labeled with Country of Origin.
COOL will list toxins generally found in the food.
The cost will be about 2.5 billion dollars. Actually quite small compared to the total cost of food.
Basically, I'm cool with COOL.
