ave relevance to makers of all manner of goods.
Government regulation is an aspect of COO that potentially points up its weakness in respect of marketing. In 2004, a provision of the U.S. Farm Bill of 2002 went into effect that mandated COO labeling, or COOL, for fresh and frozen foods: beef, pork, lamb, fish, fruits and vegetables, and peanuts. Proponents of COOL, including consumer groups and many government bureaus, describe it as a marketing tool, while opponents point to onerous costs and the fact that growers, exporters, and importers would be burdened with costly truth-in-labeling practices and thus subject to foreign-trade barriers because COOL is protectionist. Some growers and retailers are in favor of COOL, and others are not (Redmayne, 2004; Carter & Zwane, 2003). Opponents say that the burdens of compliance and possible trade-war scenarios outweigh the marketing benefits and customer goodwill. They insist that any such program must be voluntary and flexible and not tied to mandatory long-term recordkeeping practices. Their assertion is tha
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