On September 30, 2004, the U.S. Department of Agriculture ( USDA ) officially announced regulations on “Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling for Fish and Shellfish.” These are interim regulations effective as of April 4, 2005.
The 2002 Farm Bill required the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture by September 30, 2004, to require retailers to notify their customers of the country of origin of “covered commodities.” Initially covered commodities included muscle cuts of beef (including veal), lamb and pork; ground beef, ground lamb and ground pork; farm-raised fish and shellfish; wild fish and shellfish; perishable agricultural commodities (fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables); and peanuts. A law enacted in January 2004 however, has delayed the mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) requirements for all covered commodities except fish and shellfish until September 30, 2006.
| Sub-Category |
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| Standard for |
Marine products
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| Focus |
Provide information to consumers via conspicuous labeling about the origin of fish and shellfish.
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| Structure |
Regulatory standards for labeling of seafood and shellfish by retailers and direct and indirect suppliers to these retailers.
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| Conformity Requirements |
Recordkeeping requirements, Labeling to indicate wild and/or farm raised, and country of origin.
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| Auditing System |
USDA Representatives
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| Geographic Focus |
United States
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| Website |
http://www.ams.usda.gov/cool/
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