Among his first steps as President, Barack Obama blocked the new COOL law
A number of USDA regulations that were established during the Bush administration are being withdrawn by the new president as his administration reviews the policies.
Two of the regulations being reviewed by the Obama team involve emissions-control and the newly implemented country of origin labeling (COOL) law.
White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said that all regulations which had yet to be placed in the Federal Register would be up for review and told agencies to withhold from implementing them.
Critics of the COOL law said the new language was too vague and allowed foreign meat that was mixed with domestic meat to carry a multi-country label.
Hours after Obama had been inaugurated, the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) delivered a letter to Senators asking that the new administration review the final language of the COOL law.
"USCA remains deeply concerned that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Final Rule, particularly with regard to the multiple countries label and the liberties taken to exempt certain processed food items, fails to faithfully implement the law," the letter read.
