REDFIELD, Iowa (DTN) -- Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (MCOOL) gained ground this week as the Senate Agriculture Committee advanced its version of the Farm Bill. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) led the charge to reinstate MCOOL for beef, which is tied to the American Beef Labeling Act. The Senate Agriculture Committee has approved the amendment to include the mandatory label, but the bill has not yet completed the legislative process. The American Beef Labeling Act directs USDA and the U.S. Trade Representative to develop a World Trade Organization (WTO) compliant labeling system within a year. "We commend the Senate Agriculture Committee for its recognition that American cattle ranchers deserve the opportunity to compete for consumers who want American beef and that all American consumers deserve to know where their beef comes from," said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard. "We also recognize our thousands of cattle producer members who have stood behind this effort for ...