Bob Casey Pushes Back Against Euro Meat Claims

First it was Pat Toomey taking on the Europeans over cheese names. Now it’s Bob Casey pushing back against the European Union’s new rules on meat-naming conventions. 

From a press release:

U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and a bipartisan group of Senators called on the Administration to reject attempts by the European Union to block US meat producers from using and exporting products commonly held meat names that have European origins like ‘bologna,’ ‘bratwurst’ or ‘black forest ham’ during ongoing trade negotiations. This could hurt Pennsylvania meat producers that make products like Lebanon Bologna. European Union nations are attempting to assert so-called ‘geographic indicators’ that could harm a growing industry that contributes $12 billion to Pennsylvania’s economy every year and employs nearly 100,000 people. In a letter to the US Department of Agriculture and the United States Trade Representative, Casey and a bipartisan group of Senators urged the Administration to reject the EU request during the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations.

“The Administration should reject any attempt by the European Union to undercut one of our nation’s key industries,” Senator Casey said. “Diminishing these commonly used brand names could harm economic growth and impact a sector of Pennsylvania’s economy that supports nearly 100,000 jobs.”

You have to admit: “Lebanon Bologna” is really confusing.