MT COOL Coalition: Sec. Rollins has responsibility to reinstate MCOOL

The USDA must pursue reinstating mandatory country-of-origin labeling through rulemaking, a coalition representing the majority of Montana cattle producers urged US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins in a letter sent this week.  

“Without action, ranchers continue to be undervalued by packers, and consumers continue to be misled in the grocery store. Recent reporting shows that ‘farm bankruptcies in MT increased 200% in 2025.’ According to the USDA census, in Montana’s Ravalli County alone, over 150 farms and 50,000 acres of farmland were lost between 2017 and 2022. However, your active support and reinforcement can be what changes the landscape of American beef,” the Montana Country-of-Origin Labeling Coalition writes in the letter.  

The Montana Country-of-Origin-Labeling Coalition, which aims to restore integrity to America’s food systems by demanding the reinstatement of mandatory country of-origin labeling, sent the letter to Rollins after both she and President Trump made statements in support of country-of-origin labeling in recent weeks.  

“Montana Farmers Union appreciates Secretary Rollins’ support of mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef. In light of record imports of beef, the time is now for the USDA to implement the rules for MCOOL,” MFU President Walter Schweitzer said.

“Our ranch’s cow-calf commodity operation and my direct-to-consumer beef business depend on mandatory COOL for beef! Consumers deserve to know the origin of their food, and U.S. and Montana producers need fair markets. Simple as that,” said Jeanie Alderson a Northern Plains Resource Council member.

As a member of the Make America Healthy Again Commission and under the Addressing Security Risks from Price Fixing and Anti-competitive Behavior in the Food Supply Chain Executive Order, Rollins has both the responsibility and latitude to reinstate mandatory country-of-origin labeling, the coalition asserts in the letter. 

“In order to remain in compliance with the goals of this executive order, your department should be pursuing any avenue available to reinstate MCOOL and stop the monopoly efforts of foreign packing companies,” the coalition writes. 

The newly implemented Product of USA Labeling rule by the USDA does close a few loopholes that had previously been exploited by the meat packing industry but doesn’t go far enough to protect the integrity of the US food supply. Leaving COOL voluntary continues to harm the American consumer, who has no idea where their beef is born, raised, or harvested, and leaves room for vague labels that are not an indication of the true origin of the meat itself. 

That beef and pork are the only items not labeled with an origin in the grocery store is no mistake and benefits the Big 4 meatpacking companies at the expense of ranchers and consumers. MCOOL would level the playing field for American ranchers by giving American ranchers clear credit for their quality product and consumers transparent information to choose beef at an appropriate price point.  

Two bills currently introduced in Congress would reinstate mandatory COOL.  

The Country of Origin Labeling Enforcement Act, sponsored by Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman, was introduced as a potential amendment to the House Farm Bill, but ultimately not included in the House version sent in April to the Senate.  

South Dakota Sen. John Thune’s American Beef Labeling Act currently has the potential to be included as an amendment to the Senate’s version of the Farm Bill.   

Rollins, though, has the authority to act separately from Congress on MCOOL because of current executive orders.  

“In order to put America first, America needs to reinstate MCOOL,” the coalition urges. 

Join the movement for truth in labeling for beef by sending your own letter in support of mandatory country-of-origin labeling at mtcool.org.  

Read the full letter: MCOOL_USDA2026.