WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the wake of today’s decision by the World Trade Organization setting the retaliation amount Canada and Mexico can place on American products in response to the U.S. Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) law, the National Pork Producers Council renewed its call for Congress to repeal labeling requirements for beef, pork and poultry.
The COOL statute requires meat to be labeled with the country where the animal from which it was derived was born, raised and harvested. (It also applies to fish, shellfish, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables and certain nuts.)
The WTO today said Canada and Mexico can put more than $1 billion in tariffs on U.S. goods because the COOL law, which the international trade body previously ruled violates U.S. trade obligations, discriminates against Canadian and Mexican animals that are sent to the United States to be fed out and processed.
“America’s pork producers need congressional lawmakers to recognize the imminent harm our economy faces,” said NPPC President Dr. Ron Prestage, a veterinarian and pork producer from Camden, S.C. “Retaliation has been authorized, and our exports to the No. 1 and No. 2 markets will suffer and so will U.S. farmers, business people and consumers.