OP ED: Today, consumers cannot tell whether the beef they buy is from the United States or imported from one of roughly 20 countries. Global packers reap windfall profits by importing lower-cost foreign beef and cattle and selling it for the same price as if it were domestic, leaving consumers unaware of the origin.
This deceptive practice has devastated the U.S. cattle industry. Foreign producers benefit from lower production costs due to weaker labor, safety and environmental standards than those required of American ranchers. Despite rising demand, the U.S. has lost more than 650,000 beef cow farms – more than half since1980. It has also lost critical infrastructure: 77% of feedlots, 45% of processing plants, and 25% of sale barns. Today, the beef cow inventory is at a 70-year low, and the United States is not producing enough beef to feed itself.
Four global packers control 80% of the U.S. beef market. Producers sell live cattle to these packers, who process them into beef. Packers – not producers – decide whether to label, and although they have origin information, they choose not to disclose it. Imported beef arrives clearly marked with its country of origin, and foreign cattle carry permanent import brands identifying them as born and raised outside the United States.
These packers routinely use undifferentiated imports to fill supply gaps, undermining efforts to rebuild the domestic cattle industry. The USDA’s final “Product of USA” rule fails to fix this; any labeling will remain voluntary and not applicable to imports. That’s why mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL) is essential – because packers won’t label imported beef unless required by law.
MCOOL is a lifeline for American agriculture. It would stop global packers from exploiting consumers with unlabeled imports and displacing U.S. producers with cheaper foreign beef. The cattle industry is the largest segment of American agriculture and a cornerstone of rural economies nationwide, generating about $100 billion annually.
MCOOL would not require costly segregation, as packers already track product grades (Prime, Choice, Select) and branded programs like Certified Angus Beef. Increased demand for U.S. -born and -raised beef may lead to more domestic sourcing, resulting in herd expansion.
MCOOL would revitalize rural economies, create jobs, support small businesses and fuel community growth. It would also strengthen food resilience during supply chain disruptions, economic shocks or natural disasters, as family-scale farms across the country are uniquely positioned to withstand crises. Without MCOOL, global packers profit while consumers, producers and rural America pay the price.
MCOOL is bipartisan and widely supported. A Morning Consult poll shows 86% of American voters support legislation reinstating MCOOL for beef, and more than three-quarters say it’s important that the beef they buy was born, raised and processed in the United States.
Both the American Beef Labeling Act (S.421) and the Country of Origin Labeling Enforcement Act (H.R.5818) specify how to address the World Trade Organization’s past opposition, giving Congress a clear path forward to enact MCOOL. Mandatory country of origin labeling for beef must be restored in the upcoming farm bill. To support its inclusion, call your senators and representative at 202-224-3121 and urge them to cosponsor S.421 and H.R.5818.
