Wisconsin Senator Introduces Bill that Would Help Shopper Identify Products Made in the U.S.

Monday, May 15th, 2023 -- 9:01 AM

(WMTV) Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin co-authored a bill that would help shoppers identify products that were made in the U.S.

The COOL Online Act would require all products sold online to come with a label showing its country of origin. Right now, only brick and mortar stores are required to have the labels, but that law was written before the advent of online shopping.

“There is no such requirement for country of origin labeling for online retailers,” said Senator Baldwin, who says it puts local businesses at a disadvantage. She says foreign companies make cheap, knock-off products that look like the original, but are made outside the U.S.

“We have had several Wisconsin small businesses who have had that happen, low quality knock-off products are being peddled online,” said Senator Baldwin, “and because there is no country of origin labeling, they think they’re buying the Wisconsin made products, but they’re not.”

“We’ve already got 4 knock-offs,” said Noel Valdes, founder of CobraHead gardening tools in Cambridge, WI. “They wouldn’t knock you off if your product wasn’t any good,” he joked. He started CobraHead in 2002 and it has grown to include several new products.

He talked with Senator Baldwin about why this law is needed. “People will go out of their way to buy U.S. made products, and we know that’s true,” said Valdes. Valdes says anyone is free to make and sell a product, and consumers are free to choose who they want to buy from, but without the labels, many people don’t know they aren’t buying American products.

There are two companies overseas who are already copying his tools, but he sees an advantage over them, by using all local companies to make his product. “From an online point of view, we think that if we can say Made in Wisconsin, Made in the USA, it helps our sales,” Valdes said.

The bill is still in the Senate, but already has bipartisan support. It is being sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans.

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