Bush M-COOL rule does not meet Intent of Congress

[Willowcreek]

USDA Secretary Vilsack has indicated that the final COOL rule as established by the Bush USDA fails to meet Congress’ intent in three main areas:

The use of a mixed-origin label on meat from U.S. animals does not provide the specific information that Congress intended to provide to consumers.

The exemption of commodities from labeling requirements because they had been cooked, roasted or cured does not comply with Congress’ intent to inform consumers of the origins of the food they purchase.

The provision that allows meat processors to include a country’s name on ground meat even when no product is sourced from that country for 60 days does not provide accurate information to consumers as Congress intended.

It is believed Vilsack will issued an official directive tomorrow to the industry to immediately correct these problems......

[Willowcreek]

Vilsack cancels COOL call, plans to issue letter to meat industry

By Tom Johnston on 2/18/2009


Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Wednesday called off a scheduled press teleconference on the final rule for mandatory country-of-origin labeling due to a scheduling conflict, but is expected to issue today a letter to the meat industry regarding his views on the subject, a USDA spokesman confirmed to Meatingplace.

Media reports quoted participants in a separate conference call Tuesday between Vilsack and consumer groups as saying the secretary expressed his intention to ask the meat industry to voluntarily follow more stringent guidelines under COOL, and that if the industry does not comply, the administration would write new rules.

[farmers_son]

Could it be that the real intent of Congress is to increase protectionism?

U.S. President Obama is scheduled to meet our Prime Minister tomorrow Feb 19. I suspect that is the real reason why the press conference was delayed. I note Obama is not addressing our Parliament, which I think is significant in diplomatic terms.

I imagine the talk will be on how many more billions Canada can give the American auto makers while carefully avoiding any mention of how many billions U.S. protectionism is costing Canada's cattle industry. But heh...they don't make cars in Montana or Alberta either for that matter.

Apparently Obama will visit Alberta's Tar Sands, the largest reserves of oil on the planet, right next door to the good ol U.S. of A. It seems the U.S. wants to buy the cream without buying the cow.

See:
http://www.thestar.com/article/578644

BRUCE CAMPION-SMITH and TONDA MACCHARLES
Ottawa bureau


OTTAWA– U.S. President Barack Obama will visit Canada on Feb. 19.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office confirmed the date of the highly anticipated visit this afternoon.

Obama's visit to Canada will mark his first foreign visit since taking office on Jan. 20. The prime minister's office did not immediately release other details of the visit or even confirm where in Canada his visit with Harper would take place.

The date of the visit was also confirmed by White House press secretary Robert Gibbs in Washington.

"Canada's a vitally important ally, and the president looks forward to the opportunity to speak with Prime Minister Harper and visit our neighbor to the north," he said today.

"This is a testament not just to the size of our trading relationship and our alliance but also to the strength of our friendship," said Harper in the Commons this afternoon.

The timing rules out an address to Parliament as the House of Commons is not sitting the week of Obama's visit, Harper aide Dimitri Soudas told reporters today.

He said the PMO will announce further details later.

He refused to comment on suggestions Obama would tour Alberta's tar sands, the source of oil that Obama's campaign once pegged as "dirty."

Soudas said "we're just pleased President Obama is coming. We look forward to his visit."

Confirmation of the visit comes after Obama and Harper spoke by telephone on Friday to discuss dates and the early outline of an agenda for the meeting.

Harper said that the economy would likely top the agenda although he expected that the environment, climate change and energy security would also be discussed during the visit.

In an interview with the Star last week, Harper predicted that Obama's administration would mark a "fresh start" for relations between the two countries.

"I think that we now have a new administration that Canadians are clearly very comfortable with, at least out of the gate," Harper told the Star.

Harper said Obama's presidency is a "real opportunity" to move forward. "I think everybody acknowledges that Canada-U.S. relations improved after our government came to office. But I actually think they probably could have improved more," he said.

He said the chance of even better relations was hindered by the focus of the administration of former president George W. Bush on domestic U.S. problems.

Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush, made his first foreign visit to Mexico.

[Willowcreek]

That could be the reason for canceling the press conference...I don't really care as long as USDA puts the M-COOL back to the way it was intended by Congress- and puts some TRUTH in labeling...

Bush was a Packer Puppet all the way!

Looks to me like Obama is more popular in Canada than even the US...
_______________________________________


{Canadians prepare for fervent Obama welcome


2009-02-19 05:14:50

OTTAWA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- When U.S. President Barack Obama steps on the Canadian soil Thursday for his first foreign trip, he will be in for an excessively welcoming public.

Canadians across the country have planned various ways to receive the popular president, though they may not even get a glimpse of him during his a few hours' stop in Ottawa.
------------
Thousands will turn up on the Parliament Hill to be as close to the president as possible. Obama will arrive on the Hill at about noon time in his special limousine and enter the center block of the Parliament building. Police have suggested people might catch a glimpse of him as he exits and enters his limousine.

-----------------
Polls show that 81 percent of Canadians would vote for Obama as the U.S. president. Analysts say Obama's high popularity in Canada suggests the public's expectations for their own leaders.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-02/19/content_10844989.htm}

[farmers_son]

I do think a great many Canadians do like Obama. However campaigning is one thing and running the country is another.

Will Obama resort to protectionism, for instance MCOOL? Or will the challenging times call for real leadership and imaginative solutions. Canada U.S. trade really was good for both countries but we in Canada know there are people lobbying in the U.S. for increased protectionism. Was NAFTA really a sham designed to take Canada's oil but restrict other trade?

I imagine the world will be looking for some indication of what direction will Obama take coming out of his first foreign visit to the United States' most important trading partner. Most remember all too well how the U.S. resorted to protectionism in the thirties and how that directly made the depression the Great Depression.

Is the U.S. doomed to repeat history or have the lessons been learned? We might get our first hint of that tomorrow.

[smcgrath76]

I don't like MCOOL, but I understand it. I am concerned about protectionism on a broader scale. I am not sure if anyone noticed, but the bailout package still has wording about "buy American" even though the president says it means nothing. Political posturing to pass a piece of legislation, that is now law and probably has to be adhered to.
I am not sure that the USA and others are not building a bigger "mother of all bubbles" that will have to burst some day. Slow and steady wins the race as they say, but it does nothing for GDP.