Canadian Livestock Producers Trying To 'Clip' COOL
8/9/2007 8:21:00 AM
Canadian Livestock Producers Trying To 'Clip' COOL
The Canadian Cattlemen's Association and the Canadian Pork Council have united in an attempt to do away with Washington's current mandatory country-of-origin labeling law, calling it a trade barrier and contending it violates international trade laws.
In a statement released Tuesday, the coalition, known as Canadian Livestock Producers Against COOL, or CliP COOL, said the provision of the U.S. Farm Bill violates Washington's obligations under the North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization, and should be accordingly revised.
The coalition argues the law will raise costs due to tracking and complex labeling, and urges the Canadian government to express its concerns to Washington.
"The problem is that access for live animals to U.S. slaughter facilities will be impaired if those facilities do not want to incur the burden of tracking which product satisfies which origin label," CCA President ugh Lynch-Staunton said. "So even though Canadian meat might do well with U.S. consumers, Canadian livestock producers will face lower prices for their animals."
Concerned about potential discrimination against Canadian animals, the coalition argues COOL should consider the country of origin to be that which processes the meat.
8/9/2007 8:21:00 AM
Canadian Livestock Producers Trying To 'Clip' COOL
The Canadian Cattlemen's Association and the Canadian Pork Council have united in an attempt to do away with Washington's current mandatory country-of-origin labeling law, calling it a trade barrier and contending it violates international trade laws.
In a statement released Tuesday, the coalition, known as Canadian Livestock Producers Against COOL, or CliP COOL, said the provision of the U.S. Farm Bill violates Washington's obligations under the North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization, and should be accordingly revised.
The coalition argues the law will raise costs due to tracking and complex labeling, and urges the Canadian government to express its concerns to Washington.
"The problem is that access for live animals to U.S. slaughter facilities will be impaired if those facilities do not want to incur the burden of tracking which product satisfies which origin label," CCA President ugh Lynch-Staunton said. "So even though Canadian meat might do well with U.S. consumers, Canadian livestock producers will face lower prices for their animals."
Concerned about potential discrimination against Canadian animals, the coalition argues COOL should consider the country of origin to be that which processes the meat.
"Clip COOL believes that NAFTA and WTO require the United States to treat meat from animals processed in the United States as U.S. meat," the group said.