In a study conducted by the University of Arkansas, Department of Marketing, it was concluded that country-of-origin labeling (COOL) did exert influence on consumer decisions when purchasing meat products.
According to the study, customers were more likely to purchase meat labeled as a product of the United States. According to a press release from the National Farmers Union (NFU), “Opponents of COOL have argued that it has no impact on consumers’ purchasing decisions. This study clearly shows the opposite: that consumers use COOL to draw inferences related to a food product’s safety, taste and freshness.”
The NFU is advocating for Congress to not repeal COOL and “continue to provide consumers with information they use to make informed decisions about what they eat.” The House of Representatives, on June 10, 2015, passed a bill repealing COOL regulations on beef, chicken and pork and the Senate is proposing alternative programs to COOL, such as a voluntary “Product of the U.S. Label.”