The Economic Impact of mCOOL on the Beef and Pork Value Chains
The Economic Impact of mCOOL on the Beef and Pork Value Chains
This study provided an updated economic assessment of mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (mCOOL) regulations by synthesizing and advancing the frameworks of three foundational papers. Utilizing updated production, market, consumption, and trade data, based on a five-year average from 2021 to 2025 and/or 2025 data, this study re-estimated the costs associated with implementing mCOOL and 5-year and 10-year cumulative total costs for the beef and pork industries under the 2013 mCOOL rule. The total cost was segregated into one-time capital expenditures (e.g., initial equipment and software setups, etc.) and recurring variable operating expenses (e.g., labor, tracking and label media, etc.). The capital expense only applied to the first-year implementation cost, and the variable expenses applied to all 10 years.
