Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

68th Legislature 2023                                                                                           HR 6.1
                                            HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 6
    INTRODUCED BY J. BERGSTROM, M. MALONE, C. KNUDSEN, B. MITCHELL, L. REKSTEN, F. SMITH, L.
   BREWSTER, B. LER, D. LOGE, B. BARKER, J. KASSMIER, E. MATTHEWS, L. HELLEGAARD, T. SMITH, Z.
                                                       WIRTH
  5
  A RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA URGING THE
  UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO IMPLEMENT COUNTRY-OF-ORIGIN LABELING FOR BEEF AND PORK
  PRODUCTS.
  9
          WHEREAS, in 2002, the United States Congress amended the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to
  require that retailers notify customers who are purchasing covered commodities, including beef and pork, of the
  commodities' origin, by means of a "Country-of-Origin Label"; and
          WHEREAS, in May 2015, based on complaints from Canada and Mexico, the World Trade
  Organization determined that country-of-origin labels violated United States trade obligations and threatened to
  impose retaliatory duties unless the United States removed the requirement that covered commodities,
  including beef and pork, be sold with a country-of-origin label; and
          WHEREAS, in December 2015, Congress removed mandatory country-of-origin labeling requirements
  for muscle-cut beef and pork and for ground beef and pork; and
          WHEREAS, consumers want to know the origin of their food, and the United States and Montana
  producers want consumers to know the origin of their food.
 21
  NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF
  MONTANA:
          That the House of Representatives of the 68th Montana Legislature urges Congress to pass a
  mandatory federal country-of-origin labeling law for beef and pork products that meets World Trade
  Organization requirements.
          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Secretary of State send copies of this resolution to each
  member of the Montana Congressional Delegation, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the Office
                                                              -1-                      Authorized Print Version – HR 6
68th Legislature 2023                                                                 HR 6.1
  of the United States Trade Representative.
                                               - END -
                                                     -2-      Authorized Print Version – HR 6