Hinson needs to get on board with COOL

When it comes to speaking out of both sides of her mouth, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA 2) seems to take the cake. Hinson claims she wants people to know where their food comes from so they can choose food raised by Iowa family farmers. But the truth is she’s failing to support policies that Iowa family farmers like me need to help us better compete in a marketplace controlled by corporate meatpackers and retail giants.

When the corporate ag industry and multinational meatpacking giants come calling — as they did with the EATS Act, which guts already minimal environmental, health and safety standards for industrial livestock factories, Hinson jumps right in. But when it comes to meaningful reforms needed to improve transparency and build better markets for family farm livestock producers, Hinson is nowhere to be found.

Iowa cattle producers know this is a critical Farm Bill year. And the family farmers I know are supporting the American Beef Labeling Act (S. 52). If Hinson really wants to support independent family farmers and give consumers the information and choice they need to choose local beef, she would get on board as a co-sponsor. It’s a simple legislative fix that will let cow-calf operations like mine compete in a concentrated market by helping us differentiate our domestic beef from cheap corporate imports.

Members of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (Iowa CCI) and other grassroots organizations support S. 52 wholeheartedly. And so do 90% of consumers because it will require all beef sold in grocery stores to have a label showing where the cattle were born, raised and processed. S. 52 also prevents multinational meatpackers from driving down prices paid to cattle farmers when they import massive amounts of beef, stick a new label on it and try to pass it off as a Product of the U.S.A. The bill allows consumers to choose U.S. raised beef, and support American family farmers and our local economies.

The legislation would reinstate mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) for beef. It has strong bipartisan support across the country. The bill is sponsored by legislators from other livestock states, including our neighbors in South Dakota — Sen. Thune and Sen. Rounds.

Restoring COOL for beef is a meaningful step toward revitalizing and maintaining strong, resilient, and independent cattle production. When COOL for beef was fully implemented in 2013-2015, American cattle producers were receiving record prices for our superior beef. Since it was repealed, cattle farmers have been receiving lower prices while consumers are paying high prices and are not guaranteed a true product of the U.S.A. With the Farm Bill taking shape, now is the time to restore mandatory COOL for beef.

At town halls in August and January, I asked Rep. Hinson where she stands on COOL, and she hasn’t answered the question. She refuses to take a position. Iowa family farm livestock producers will keep calling on Hinson to join in co-sponsoring the American Beef Labeling Act throughout the Farm Bill negotiations this spring. It’s time to stop the slow motion destruction of Iowa’s family farm beef producers and get the ball rolling in our favor.

Berleen Wobeter is a Tama County family farmer and member of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.