mr. chairman , i yield myself such time as i may consume . 
mr. chairman , i rise in strong opposition to the gentleman 's amendment . 
this is an issue that many of us have been working on for many years . 
the country-of-origin labeling provisions that were part of the last farm bill would present a nightmare to many producers in this country . 
good , salt-of-the-earth people in agriculture know that this would impose up to $ 1 billion in additional costs to their already overworked people and to their budgets , which are already being taxed . 
this is also an issue for anybody who believes that grocery stores and retailers are part of americana in this country , and they would rise in strong opposition to this amendment because there is a liability in the country-of-origin labeling that would in essence make your friendly corner grocery store liable for trial lawyers to come in and say you did not put the fact that this calf may have been born in one country , processed in another country , and now on the meat counter in your local grocery store . 
now the lawyers can come along and say , we are taking you to court , causing the price of beef to go up for american families . 
that is not something that would reflect favorably for anyone in this country , whether you are a producer , a retailer or a consumer . 
this is a marketing issue . 
i realize there is an intent by this country-of-origin labeling provision to mandate that these labels be put on products . 
nothing could be more anti free enterprise than to mandate labeling on a product . 
if consumers want this , they will ask their retailer to put it on the product so they can favor that product over another . 
i am not sure what the origin of the country-of-origin labeling provision was in the last farm bill , but there is no doubt it would create additional costs that consumers would have to bear . 
i would also want to compliment the chairman of the authorizing committee , the gentleman from virginia ( mr. goodlatte ) xz4001540 , for introducing a bill to make this country-of-origin labeling provision voluntary . 
there are dozens of cosponsors on the bill . 
it is a bipartisan effort . 
many of us have been working on that for a long time , and we hope that this provision that i have put in this bill remains by voting no on the rehberg amendment . 
mr. chairman , i reserve the balance of my time . 
