# Country of origin labelling (USA)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-of-origin-labelling-usa/282613>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 2, 2005, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-of-origin-labelling-usa/282613 "2005-01-02T01:28:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Weeks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbce88/32.png) [@Weeks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weeks)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2005, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-of-origin-labelling-usa/282613/1 "2005-01-02T01:28:27Z")

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A question I read in this totally groovy new [blog](http://nothingchinese.blogspot.com/) made me wonder…Yeah, OK, it’s my blog…That doesn’t make me a bad person…

In America, what IS the law about “country of origin” labelling?

Are manufacturers compelled to state the C.O.O.?

If so, what can the penalties be for not doing so?

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**Author:** ![meowpossum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/848f3c/32.png) [@meowpossum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meowpossum)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2005, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-of-origin-labelling-usa/282613/2 "2005-01-02T02:50:22Z")

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Country-of-origin labeling has been required of all goods imported into the US since the 1890’s, originally as part of the McKinley Tariff Act. Around the time of WWI, the law was updated to require the words “Made in \<country of origin\>” (Thanks, _Antiques Roadshow_!)

I’ve no idea what the specific sanctions would be for importing mislabeled or unlabeled goods – fines and/or seizure of the goods, I would imagine.

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**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2005, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-of-origin-labelling-usa/282613/3 "2005-01-02T05:13:31Z")

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There’s currently an ugly fight going on in agricultural/food industry circles over implementing the 2002 Farm Bill, which requires Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for meat, produce and other agricultural commodities.