Not cool that Sheehy doesn't support MCOOL

Editor’s note: This version corrects the name of the writer of the editorial.

Recently, I listened to a radio interview with Tim Sheehy on Working Ranch radio show that is very concerning. When Tim Sheehy was asked about MCOOL (mandatory country of origin label) his answer sided with the packers. He said they should have the ability to mix foreign beef with US beef without being penalized. To be clear the only penalty that the packers now have is to not to dishonestly label their products. He said that mixing in foreign beef doesn’t impact the product. He also said that COOL should be addressed at the state level therefore, he doesn’t support federal MCOOL. Montana beef producers and the Montana Legislature would disagree. The Montana state legislature passed a resolution encouraging the federal government to pass MCOOL. Every agricultural group supported the resolution, the vote was nearly unanimous.

Did you know that when the Olympics were held in Mexico, Brazil and China the Olympic committee advised athletes to not eat local beef because it could cause them to fail the drug tests? Examples like this (and many more) are why MCOOL is supported by over 80% of consumers. Recently consumers and ranchers had a couple of big wins. The Biden administration signed executive orders requiring that products voluntarily labeled with “Product of USA” had to be born, raised and processed in the USA and required that any products purchased by the USDA be “Product of USA.” It used to be packers could bring in foreign meat repackage it and label it “Product of USA.” Much of the beef fed to our children in schools used to be mixed with foreign beef.

All foods except beef and pork require MCOOL. Farmers Union worked with congress to pass MCOOL in 2002. MCOOL was the law of the land until the four largest packers in Mexico, Canada, and USA encouraged Mexico and Canada to file a complaint with the WTO on MCOOL for all foods. They argued that MCOOL was discriminatory because American consumers if allowed the choice would buy US products over foreign products. They eventually scaled back their complaint to just all meats. The basis of their argument was Mexican cattle were being discriminated against and got less money than northern plains cattle. The WTO commission, made up of a majority Mexican and Canadian representative, sided with the packers and allowed retaliatory tariffs if the USA continued to require their meats with COOL but have not. In 2014 Congress voted to repeal MCOOL on just beef and pork. We still have MCOOL on all other foods including other meats like lamb, poultry and seafood so they could still exercise their right to retaliatory tariffs. After COOL was repealed for beef, the price didn’t change in the grocery store, but the producers received 50% less for their livestock.

It has been 10 years since MCOOL has been repealed and Mexican cattle still bring less money than northern plains cattle. It is not because of COOL. Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Mexican cattle are different than northern plains cattle therefore are worth less money. That is why Sen. Jon Tester is working across the aisle with Sens. Thune, Rounds, Hoeven, and Lummis to introduce a MCOOL bill. Their bill would require the USDA to revisit the WTO ruling based on discriminatory pricing and to pass a WTO compliant MCOOL.

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Walter Schweitzer is a third-generation Montana rancher.