BEEF COUNTRY OF ORIGIN RETAIL PLACARD

                                              Land And Water USA

P.O. Box 155 La Salle, CO  80645

www.LandAndWaterUSA.com    (970) 284-6874

Dear Colorado House Agriculture Committee, 

Rep. Jeni James Arndt, Chair  - Rep. Diane Mitsch Bush, Vice Chair     

Rep. Jon Becker, Rep. Perry Buck, Rep. Jessie Danielson, Rep. Daneya Esgar, Rep. Chris Hansen, Rep. Steve Lebsock   Rep. Hugh McKean, Rep. Lori Saine, Rep. Donald Valdez, Rep. Yeulin Willett                                        

Regarding: HB 17-1234 Beef Country of Origin Retail Placard

Please consider this our wholehearted support for HB 17-1234.

We appreciate and thank Senator Vicki Marble and Representative Kimmi Lewis, for sponsoring a bill that wholly considers the Consumer.

In short, it will provide essential information and food safety to Colorado Consumers!

Our research has borne out the fact that Consumers have become more educated about their food choices. Their appetite for safe, nutritious delicious food equals their appetite for knowledge about it.

Here are some reports:

2007: Consumer Reports poll revealed “92 percent of Americans want to know where their food comes from and, in fact, the COOL regulations, as originally conceived, were to apply to meat, fruits, vegetables and peanuts. But legislative battles and political wrangling derailed full implementation of COOL.

For example, groups like the National Farmers Union—a coalition of family farmers and ranchers—fought for COOL labeling, believing Americans would support locally grown and raised products. But alliances of food processors and meat packers, such as the American Meat Institute and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) balked at the burden and expense of complying with such compulsory labeling.”

To our knowledge, since its passing in 2002, COOL was never fully implemented, for NCBA was successful in keeping this critical information from Consumers.

2014: “People overwhelmingly tell Consumer Reports they want to know where their food comes from in national survey after survey after survey.”

Consumers will be able to look over the meat, and see right up front exactly where the beef comes from. This is a service we believe retailers will be happy to provide their customers.

Passing HB 17-1234 will ensure Colorado Consumers an informed choice.

We respectfully ask members of the Agriculture House Committee to please vote “Yes” on HB 17-1234 Beef Country of Origin Retail Placard.

Thank you,

Roni Bell Sylvester

Co-Founder Land And Water USA

www.LandAndWaterUSA.com