There are new labels showing up on some food items in grocery stores -- and they're pretty cool.
Literally.
Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) laws took effect in March, and the new labels will help consumers discover exactly where their food is coming from.
The labels are being stuck on muscle cuts of beef, including veal, lamb, pork, goat and chicken, along with ground beef, ground lamb, ground pork, ground goat and ground chicken. Farm-raised fish and shellfish also get the labels, along with wild fish and shellfish. Perishable fruits and vegetables are required to have the labels, as are peanuts, ginseng, pecans and macadamia nuts.
Most grocery stores and supermarkets must abide by the new rules. Smaller stores such as fish markets and butcher shops, along with food service establishments, such as restaurants and bars, are exempt.
Billy Cox, spokesman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's agriculture marketing service, said the new law took effect on March 16.
"The labels are intended to give buyers more information about the foods that they purchase," Cox said.
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