John Hoeven

Canada says U.S. senators are wrong about voluntary meat labeling

Canada's agriculture minister, Gerry Ritz, said two U.S. senators are wrong to say their proposal for a voluntary country-of-origin label (COOL) for beef, pork and chicken is similar to the "Product of Canada" label available in his country.

Senate bill would label GE salmon, block beef imports

Retailers would have to identify transgenic salmon as genetically engineered and imports of raw beef from Brazil and Argentina would be barred under the USDA/FDA funding bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Voluntary COOL bill “a risky strategy” – Canada cattle official

A Senate proposal to switch to a voluntary U.S. country-of-origin labeling (COOL) system for beef, pork and chicken is "a risky strategy" that would not satisfy free-trade rules, says a top official of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association.

Two COOL vehicles could collide in the highway bill

Congress is clearly on its way to repealing the law that requires packages of beef, pork and chicken sold in supermarkets to carry labels that say where the animals were born, raised and slaughtered. But there are rival plans on how to do it.

After House hustle, a Senate lull for GMO pre-emption bill

The House passed, by a 2-to-1 margin, a bill to pre-empt states from requiring special labels on foods made with genetically modified organisms and sent the legislation to the Senate, where its chief backer says "it's a work in progress" and far from ready for action.

As House votes on GMO pre-emption, Senate in spotlight

By all accounts, the Republican-controlled House will pass HR 1599 today to pre-empt states from requiring special labels on foods made with genetically modified organisms.

Senator would block salt, whole-grain rules for school lunch

North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven says he will try to block the stricter salt and whole-grain requirements proposed for the school-lunch program. The senator's proposal is backed by the School Nutrition Association, whose members run the school-meals programs.