What Country Makes Your Food? Soon, You'll Know

Photo illustration (This does not show an actual country-of-origin label)

Photo: Istock / Photo Illustration by Gloria Dawson

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Political foot-dragging made it years in the making, but customers in U.S. supermarkets will soon know just where their food originates.

On Sept. 30, all meats, fish, poultry, produce and peanuts must have a country-of-origin label (COOL, for short). (Congress originally passed the law mandating COOL in 2002, but delayed implementation under pressure from the food industry, and meat and fish sold by butchers and fish markets are still exempt, as is processed food.)

"This is a long-awaited change and we think it will be a great benefit for consumers," said Jean Halloran, director of food policy initiatives for Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports. "If a food safety problem is identified in a particular imported product, as happened with jalapeño and serrano peppers from Mexico earlier this year, then consumers will be able to avoid that product. On the other hand, some people like to buy certain imported products, like New Zealand lamb or Holland tomatoes. Still others just want to buy local produce. Either way, the new labels will give consumers important new information."

We agree. And so do 92% of Americans, according to a 2007 Consumer Reports poll.

Country-of-origin labels are already found on seafood and packaged and canned goods.

Why does this matter? Thousands of food facilities in more than 170 countries, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, supply food to the U.S. market. The Food and Drug Administration has acknowledged that it isn't up to the task of policing that increasingly complex international system. At least, now consumers will be armed with more information.

Here is Consumer Union's breakdown of what you can expect in the grocery aisle next month.

For more information, see Consumer Union's COOL Tool.

Will Have Country-of-Origin Labels

• Meat sold in supermarkets
• Fish sold in supermarkets
• Raw peanuts
• Pork chops
• Sliced cantaloupe
• Raw almonds
• Bagged lettuce
• Frozen peas
• Raw shrimp
• Fresh salmon

Will NOT Have Country-of-Origin Labels

• Meat sold in butcher shops
• Fish sold in fish markets
• Roasted peanuts and peanut butter
• Ham and bacon
• Fruit salad
• Trail mix
• Bagged mixed salad greens
• Frozen peas and carrots
• Cooked shrimp
• Smoked salmon

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