WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/USA/25
23 October 2002
(02-5822)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Department of Agriculture (25)
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:           
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Food labelling (ICS:  67)
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Establishment of
Guidelines for the Interim Voluntary Country of Origin Labeling of Beef, Lamb, Pork, Fish,
Perishable Agricultural Commodities, and Peanuts Under the Authority of the Agricultural
Marketing Act of 1946 (9 pages, English)          
6. Description of content:   The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Public Law
107-171) amended the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to require the Department of
Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service to issue country of origin labeling guidelinesfor voluntary use by retailers who wish to noti fy their customers of the country of origin of
beef (including veal), lamb, pork, fish, perishable agricultural commodities, and peanuts.
The guidelines contained within this notice incl ude definitions that can be used by retailers
and their suppliers and understood by other market participants, to facilitate the voluntary
labeling or identification of commodities covered by this program by their respective
country of origin.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
To provide industry and consumers with a workable voluntary program that will carry out
the intent of the law.
8. Relevant documents:   67 Federal Register (FR) 63367, 11 October 2002.  Will appear in
the Federal Register when adopted.          
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force: }To be determined
10. Final date for comments:   These voluntary guidelines are effective 11 October 2002.
Submissions must be received by 9 April 2003.
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X] or address, telephone and fax
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html