Daschle: U.S. Needs Labeling Now to Show Beef Safety

[Khephra]

Filed at 2:35 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. foodmakers should be ordered at once to put country-of-origin labels on meat to reassure consumers of U.S. beef safety after the first case of mad cow disease in the United States was traced back to Canada, Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle said on Wednesday.

While Democrats are pressing for beef labels in U.S. grocery stores, the White House is scrambling to persuade Japan, the biggest foreign buyer of American beef, to resume its roughly $1 billion in annual imports.

Japan's trade minister was scheduled to visit Washington on Thursday to meet with U.S. trade officials. Japan has indicated it wants the United States to adopt mandatory mad cow testing of all cattle at the slaughter plant, a step that U.S. meat companies and cattle ranchers oppose as too extreme.

Now voluntary, the country-of-origin labels are scheduled to become mandatory this autumn. However, House Republicans have sought to delay the labels for at least two years, saying they would be too costly for the meat industry.

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http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/politics/politics-madcow-daschle.html

[sallyseven]

1. The real problem

Too costly for the meat industry. 1.3 million in campaign contributions to bush an co. We should return to the hands on inspections. USDA should return to full capacity to handle our food supply. Screw the election contributions.

[lib13]

2. No cows were harmed making this beef?

Or maybe, this hotdog is only 49% lips and assholes?

[Frodo]

3. "This cow comes from the USA"???

Why not just "This cow never ate another cow"???

What's the label going to do but hurt cattle imports from Canada and Mexico. Both honorable parters who don't have any significant beef problems either?

It's not like we get that much beef from anywhere else, what would be the point when we export so much of it now?

[Cocoa]

4. Daschle could pay a price for this

I assume beef is significant in S.D. and he's up for reelection this year.