It was six years ago that Congress adopted country-of-origin labeling (COOL). And yet it seems like only yesterday that the rules went into effect.

Wait. That was yesterday.

That's not to say there weren't plenty of people trying to hurry the process along. According to one poll, 90 percent of consumers support COOL, saying the labels will "help them make safer food choices." A lot of farmers and ranchers asked for earlier implementation because they believe the program will encourage consumption of more domestic products -- their products -- but industry groups say the rules mean higher costs for food retailers.

Loopholes exist, though. Some consumer groups and lawmakers say that meat packers can blur the distinction between foreign and domestic meat and mixed vegetables and processed foods are exempt from the labeling requirements.

More than 30 Senators, including Senator Obama, wrote USDA Secretary Ed Schafer last week asking for stricter meat-labeling rules.

For now, as Bloomberg reports, Spam will remain a true mystery meat.

Source: Bloomberg

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