The COOL (Country of Origin Labeling) law was put into effect for fish and shellfish on April 4, 2005. The final rule for all of the other covered commodities took effect on September 30, 2008.

This new requirement is not meant to be burdensome for producers to follow, but buyers of livestock projects (e.g., 4-H’ers or packers) will be asking for more information than they have in the past.

Covered commodities included in this rulemaking are muscle cuts of beef (including veal), lamb, chicken, goat, and pork; ground meats including beef, lamb, chicken, goat, and pork; perishable agricultural commodities (fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables); macadamia nuts; pecans; ginseng; and peanuts.

For 4-H’ers, this would include the following species: beef, meat goat, poultry, sheep, and swine, but also animals that may not be harvested until a much later time (for example, cull dairy cows or cull dairy goats).

More information on COOL can be found at /4H/Agriculture/Documents/4H231.pdf or by calling the Henry County Extension Office (319-385-8126).