WASHINGTON, June 29, 2012 - The World Trade Organization (WTO) issued its final ruling on Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) today, upholding much of the initial ruling from November 2011, which the U.S. Trade Representative appealed in March 2012. Today's ruling did confirm the right to require labeling, but agreed that U.S. COOL provides "less favourable treatment to imported Canadian cattle and hogs."
"Much of this ruling is good news for U.S. cattle producers," said U.S. Cattlemen's Association President Jon Wooster. "The WTO has affirmed the right of the U.S. to require country of origin labeling for meat and has reversed the dispute panel's findings that COOL violates Article 2.2 of the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement."
