Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling of Beef, Pork, Lamb, Chicken, Goat Meat, Perishable Agricultural Commodities, Peanuts, Pecans, Ginseng, and Macadamia Nuts (Docket No. AMS-LS-07-0081)

The Food Marketing Institute1 (FMI) is pleased to respond to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) request for comments on the interim final rule (IFR) published by the Agency on August 1, 2008. 73 Fed. Reg. 45106 (Aug. 1, 2008). As discussed more fully below, although we support and appreciate the significant improvements the Agency has made in the current IFR, we have concerns in the areas of labeling and recordkeeping that are discussed more fully below.