Last week a South Dakota Senate committee approved a measure and sent it on to the full Senate for a statewide country of origin labeling requirement on beef. The State Cattlemen’s Association opposes the bill. Executive Director Jodie Anderson says if this COOL bill is adopted it won’t be enforceable.

She says while consumers have a right to know where their food comes from, that information is already available and SB 135 isn’t needed.

Anderson says the federal COOL law that was thrown out by Congress was not only costly, but it didn’t provide any benefits for livestock producers.

SB 135 cleared committee last week on a 5 to 3 vote with opposition coming from the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association and Farm Bureau and support coming from the South Dakota Stock Growers Association and Farmers Union.