Country-Of-Origin Reg Slapped Down By WTO

The World Trade Organization has authorized Canada and Mexico to impose tariffs on U.S. agricultural products in retaliation for U.S. country-of-origin labeling requirements (COOL) on meat. The WTO had previously ruled that COOL unfairly discriminates against imported meat, but now it has put a price tag on it: A total of $1.01 billion, with $781 million from Canada and $227 million from Mexico. An article in The Hill quotes the president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the chairmen of both the Senate and the House Agriculture Committees, all of them strongly in favor of repealing COOL, which would obviate the WTO ruling allow the tariffs. But the law also has domestic supporters. The president of the National Farmers Union President said the organization would “raise hell” if Congress does anything to compromise the integrity of COOL.