The Cattlemen's Competitive Market Project (CCMP) will launch nationally its USA RAISED BEEF "Ask For It" campaign today. The USA RAISED BEEF "Ask For It" initiative is designed to increase consumer awareness and to encourage consumers to ask for USA Raised Beef at the point of sale.
CCMP is a voluntary producer contribution program developed by producers to support fair, open and competitive markets; realistic international trade policies; mandatory country-of-origin labeling and promotion of USA RAISED BEEF.
A launching event is planned in Washington, D.C. to showcase the new promotional initiative for domestically grown beef and how the logo is already being displayed in retail stores, livestock auction markets and ranches throughout the Midwest and West.
Congress passed mandatory country of origin labeling in the 2002 Farm Bill, and it was signed into law by President George W. Bush. Implementation of the law has been delayed until 2006 through the delay of funding for the program.
CCMP says educating consumers and soliciting their involvement will help give country-of-origin labeling the importance it deserves. "When consumers are made aware that they cannot determine where their meat comes from, they immediately question grocers and political representatives urging that the information be included on product labels in their local stores," CCMP says.
The Cattlemen's Competitive Market Project is a self-help program for U.S. cattlemen, funded through voluntary contributions collected on cattle at the point of sale. Because the program is voluntary, funds may be used to promote USA raised (domestically produced) beef where other federally mandated programs cannot.
CCMP's logo complements the congressionally mandated COOL system for meat. In fact, CCMP stakeholder groups support mandatory COOL. The USA RAISED "Ask For It" logo is an international tool used to educate consumers and to hasten COOL implementation.
A recently released survey shows that 85% of consumers surveyed want COOL; 74% support the idea of Congress making the program mandatory; and 55% have "little or not much trust" in the meat, seafood, produce and grocery industries to voluntarily provide country of origin labeling. The poll was conducted June 9 - 13, 2005 by Lake Snell Perry Mermin and Associates who surveyed more than 1,000 adults living in the U.S.