Farmers Call for "country of origin" labeling - 08/21/07

Submitted by Jesse Russell on August 20, 2007 - 3:07pm
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Pet food, toothpaste, toys, tires: These are just a few of the products coming out of China in recent months that have raised a red flag on imports. Farmers in Minnesota are fed up with all of the recalls and not being sure if their food or other products are safe.

[Peterson]: "We're not talking about a 'nanny-state' here. But,
we're talking about making sure that the products are safe and they're consumable for our family."

Doug Peterson is President of the Minnesota Farmers Union. He says Congress has already approved packaging that identifies “country of origin,” but implementation has been stalled by powerful corporations and importers lobbying against the measure on Capitol Hill.

[Peterson]: "Let me know where they're from. As a consumer, that I
can make choices, whether it's on food or toys. But, let's label them. So,if there is a toy from China, and if China doesn't have a very good record,I, as a consumer, can say 'Ok, I'm not going to buy that.' I may consider an American product or some other kind of product. But, right now, flags are going up around the Chinese imports."

Peterson says Americans have a right to know where products are coming from.