COOL DRAFTCountry of Origin Labeling

COOL Guide

Note

This document is intended to explain the basic guidelines of COOL. For more detailed information, refer to www.countryoforiginlabel.org or www.ams.usda.gov/cool.

Understanding COOL Country Of Origin Labeling requirements were designed to help maintain customer confidence in the quality and safety of meat, produce and seafood. The basic details are that any retailer of a covered commodity must inform the consumer of the country of origin of that commodity.

Notification may be provided to consumers by means of a label, stamp, mark, placard, or other clear and visible sign on the covered commodity or on the package, display, holding unit, or bin containing commodity at the final point of sale to consumers.

Implementation for seafood is due by September 2004. Pork, Beef, Produce and Peanuts were originally slated for September 2004, but are currently postponed until September 2006.

Look At This

The following exemptions currently apply:

If the covered commodity is an ingredient in a processed food (i.e. sausage).

If the retailer is a small store with annual invoice volume of less than $230,000.

Hobart has made changes to our scale/printers that will enable COOL information to be printed on the scale label and managed at both Headquarters and scale level.

© Hobart Corporation June 2004

COOL DRAFTHow do I know what text to put on the label?

The text options for the current COOL requirements include:1. If all steps take place in the U.S. then the product can be

labeled “Product of the United States”.

2. If all steps take place outside of the U.S. then the product can be labeled “Product of (the country that the process step took place in)”

3. If the last 1 or more steps (including the processed step) took place in the United States then the product can be labeled “Imported from (the last country that the product came from before entering the United States), (The steps that occurred in the U.S.) in the United States”. (Note that more information could be printed for each country if there was sufficient record keeping to track the product through each country, but it is not required).

4. If the product is wild fish or shellfish the label can say “Wild fish or shellfish” followed by the country information.

5. If the product is farm-raised fish or shellfish then the label can say “Farm-Raised fish or shellfish” followed by the country information.

6. If the product is a mixed product then the labeling will follow the above guidelines with each product’s country of origin information being sorted alphabetically by the first country that appears in the country of origin statement.

Using COOL Due to the need to make permanent changes at the store level, COOL text can be modified (permanently saved) through both Operator and Supervisor mode.

COOL is stored in each PLU record and is not part of scale set up. It is only accessible at Operator level if the COOL Required flag is set to YES and the current label type contains COOL fields.

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DRAFT COOL

Upgrading the Scale COOL support is available in both the Quantum and Ultima scales. Contact your Hobart Representative to install the appropriate firmware (Quantum version XXXXX-X and later, Ultima version XXXXX-XX and later).

Note

First and Second generations scales (i.e. SP series, 5000 series, etc) are not upgradeable to COOL.

Adding Custom Label Types Format for COOL text and tracking numbers is specified through a custom label type. Hobart offers a wide variety of custom label options. Refer to the following examples or create your own according to your merchandising needs.

Regular Format

COOL Format

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COOL DRAFTCOOL Text Strings COOL information is loaded at the scale via disk or sent to the

scale via communications as text strings. Scale Operators select the production step (hatched, born, raised) and the country from a pick list. If you are not using scale communications, Hobart offers a standard set of text.

Explanation of COOL Operator Options

Cool Option Enables you to…

Create Custom COOL Create COOL Text if the text string assigned to the PLU does not match the product you are labeling.

Select Default COOL Select the default COOL text to be printed on the label. This is the text that was sent to the scale from Headquarters for this PLU.

Select MRU COOL Select the Most Recently Used COOL. This is the text that was last printed on the label for this PLU.

Next COOL View the next COOL text string. The Previous and Next COOL buttons enable you to scroll trough all text strings available for this product.

Previous COOL View the previous COOL text string. The Previous and Next COOL buttons enable you to scroll trough all text strings available for this product.

No Cool Required Turn off COOL for this PLU. If, for example, COOL is preprinted on the product packaging.

Edit Tracking # Add/modify/delete COOL tracking number. The tracking number can be any format designated by the store and can be entered using the scale keypad or remote keyboard.

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DRAFT COOL

Creating Custom COOL Text (in Operate Mode)

To create custom COOL: 1. Select a Weigh Type from the Start A Run screen. 2. Enter a PLU number. The PLU attributes display.

If Forced COOL is turned on, the system defaults to the Country of Origin Labeling screen. Skip to step 4.

3. PRESS [F7] to select Label Type. The Label Type screen displays.

NOTE: COOL MUST BE TURNED ON THE SUPERVISOR MODE FIRST:STEPS:- Enter in PLU in Supervisor - Go to page 4- Press F6 [More Options]- Where it reads “Product Requires COOL”, select YES

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COOL DRAFT2.

Note

If COOL is not required or if the current label type does not support COOL, the COOL Information options for the PLU are not available.

4. PRESS [F7] to select COOL Information. The Country of Origin Labeling screen displays.

5. PRESS [F1] to select Create Custom COOL. The Create New COOL Record screen displays.

a. Current COOL Text: - displays the COOL text currently assigned to this product

b. Production Step: - displays all options currently available.

6. Use the up and down arrow keys to highlight a Production Step.

7. PRESS [F3] Add Production Text to assign the highlighted Production Step.

The Production Step is added to the current COOL text field and new Production Steps display. These steps include the available country names.

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DRAFT COOL

9. PRESS [F3] Add Country to add countries.10. PRESS [F1] Next Step. -- OR – PRESS [ESC] to discard your

changes and return to the prior screen.11. Add more COOL production steps -- OR—PRESS [F8]

Finished to return to the Country of Origin Labeling screen. 12. Upon exit, the scale prompts you to enter a tracking number.

Enter the tracking number per your HQ instructions. Many retailers use the PO number that is noted on the product box. If your company does not use a tracking number, press [SPACE] and [ESC].

Note

If you select COOL Text that does not match the default COOL sent from HQ, the following warning displays.

Entering a Tracking Number The tracking number is used to help verify the origin. This can be any combination of alphanumeric characters up to 43 characters. In most cases this is the PO number on the product box.

1. From the Country of Origin Labeling screen, PRESS F7 [Edit Tracking #].

2. Enter the Tracking number based on your specifications.

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COOL DRAFTCollecting COOL Tracking Info

COOL tracking information is accessible via communications. In addition to the following steps, Product Requires COOL must be set to YES in the PLU field.

To collect COOL tracking information: 1. From the Supervisor Menu, PRESS [F5] to select Scale Setup

Menu2. PRESS [F4] to select Scale Operation.3. PRESS [F3] to select Setup Normal Scale Operation. The

Normal Scale Operation screen displays.4. PRESS [F1] twice to select Next Page. 5. PRESS [F3] to toggle Collect COOL Tracking Information to

YES.

Accessing COOL (in Supervisor Mode)

To create or modify custom COOL: 1. From the Supervisor Menu, PRESS [F1] to select Change

Product.2. PRESS [F5] to select Change Another Field.3. PRESS [F7] to select All Fields.4. TYPE the PLU number in the Product Number field and

PRESS [ENTER].5. PRESS [F8] to select Next Page. 6. Enter the COOL Custom Label Type in the Primary Label

Type field.7. PRESS [F8] to select Next Page until you get to Page 4.

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DRAFT COOL

Following are the COOL options available.

Cool Option Enables you to…

Create Custom COOL Create COOL Text if the text string assigned to the PLU does not match the product you are labeling.

Select Default COOL Select the default COOL text, which will be printed on the label.

Select MRU COOL Select the Most Recently Used COOL. This is the text that was last printed on the label for this PLU.

Next COOL View the next COOL text string. The Previous and Next COOL buttons enable you to scroll trough all text strings available for this product.

Previous COOL View the previous COOL text string. The Previous and Next COOL buttons enable you to scroll trough all text strings available for this product.

More Options COOL Category – select the text string that you can access for this product. Text string categories are set up at Headquarters and are loaded to the scale via disk or communications.

Force COOL verification – if set to yes, the system defaults to the COOL information menu when the PLU is entered in Operate mode.

Product Requires COOL – if set to yes, COOL options are available in Operate mode.

Edit Tracking # Add/modify/delete the COOL tracking number. This is used when the COOL text is preprinted on the package, but the tracking number still needs to be printed on the label.

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COOL DRAFTCreating COOL Text (in Supervisor Mode)

From the Change Product screen Page 4:1. PRESS [F1] to select Create Custom COOL. The Create

New COOL Record screen displays. a. Current COOL Text: - displays the COOL text

currently assigned to this productb. Production Step: - displays all options currently

available.2. Use the up and down arrow keys to highlight the text

string. 3. PRESS [F3] Add Production Step to assign the currently

highlighted Production Step. The Production Step is added to the COOL text and new Production Steps display. These steps include the available country names.

4. PRESS [F3] Add Country to add countries as applicable. 5. PRESS [F1] Next Step. -- OR – PRESS [ESC] to discard

the text and return to the prior screen.6. Add more COOL production steps -- OR—PRESS [F8]

Finished to return to the Country of Origin Labeling screen.

Entering a Tracking Number The tracking number is used to help verify the origin. This can be any combination of alphanumeric characters up to 43 characters.

1. From the Country of Origin Labeling screen, PRESS F7 [Edit Tracking #].

2. Enter the Tracking number based on your specifications. In most cases this is the PO number on the product box.

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