Discover your next big idea at PACK EXPO Las Vegas this September
Experience a breakthrough in packaging & processing and transform your business with solutions from 2,300 suppliers spanning all industries.
REGISTER NOW & SAVE

GAO reports on COOL

The battle over mandatory country-of-origin labeling continued as the General Accounting Office weighed in with a report that examined several aspects of the U.S.

Department of Agriculture’s initiative at the request of Democratic Sens. Tom Daschle and Tim Johnson of South Dakota, who strongly back COOL. In a September news conference, Sens. Daschle and Johnson, joined by Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) said GAO found that USDA’s estimate of $1.9 billion in paperwork costs for industry in the first year of the voluntary program to be “questionable and not well supported.” The senators claim the program can be implemented cost-effectively.

Associations representing retail grocers and meat packers say that the paperwork costs are only half the story. USDA’s estimate “fails to account for the much larger hard-dollar cost to reengineer a major part of our supply chain according to country rather than efficiency and consumer value,” according to the Food Marketing Institute. The GAO report also stated that some U.S. trading partners view the new requirements as a possible trade barrier.

2024 PACK EXPO Innovations Reports
Exclusive access: Packaging World editor-curated reports revealing PACK EXPO's most groundbreaking technologies across food, healthcare, and machinery sectors. Each report features truly innovative solutions selected from hundreds of exhibitors by our expert team. Transform your operations with just one click.
Access Now
2024 PACK EXPO Innovations Reports
Annual Outlook Report: Workforce
Hiring remains a major challenge in packaging, with 78% struggling to fill unskilled roles and 84% lacking experienced workers. As automation grows, companies must rethink hiring and training. Download the full report for key insights.
Download Now
Annual Outlook Report: Workforce