Jimmie Turner (202) 720-8998Jimmie.turner@ams.usda.gov
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5, 2011 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a final rule adopting regulations for the mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) program for packaged honey bearing any official USDA mark or statement.
The final rule adopts with changes an interim rule published in the Federal Register on July 8, 2009, which included provisions for COOL requirements for packed honey, and for debarment of services if the COOL requirements are not met for packages of honey bearing official USDA grade marks or statements. The interim rule became effective Oct. 6, 2009.
As provided for in the interim rule, packers were given a 90-day period to exhaust current inventories of labels. USDA believes this is a reasonable amount of time to allow packaged honey bearing any agency mark or statement already in the chain of commerce to clear the system and allow the industry time to reconfigure labels as appropriate.
In 2009, U.S. production of honey totaled 144 million pounds valued at $208 million. During the same period, imports totaled 95,475 metric tons valued at $220.3 million.
For more information, contact Chere Shorter, Processed Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, Stop 0247, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D C 20250-0247; email chere.shorter@ams.usda.gov; or fax (202) 690-1527.
Electronic copies of the notice are available at www.regulations.gov or www.ams.usda.gov/processedinspection.
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