Oklahoma County-of-Origin Labeling on Food Products to Begin in 2004.

By Gale Goodner, The Daily Oklahoman Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

May 11--To Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Steve Kouplen and a whole lot of farmers throughout the state, it just makes sense that when consumers go to a supermarket to buy steaks, they ought to be able to tell what country those steaks came from.

"Nearly everything else has a label on it telling you where it comes from," Kouplen said. "Shoes, clothes, everything ... why not beef?"

In September 2004, beef, along with pork, lamb, seafood, peanuts, even fresh fruits and vegetables, will be required by law to indicate its country of origin and Oklahoma's producers need to start now, stressed OSU Cooperative Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist Derrell Peel, to get …