Canada to pressure U.S. on COOL law

Canada will pursue any and all remedies to pressure the United States to drop regulations on meat labeling that Canada considers discriminatory, reports Drovers CattleNetwork.

We have made it very clear that this is a blatant violation of WTO rules, and that we will certainly pursue any and all remedies that we have available to us, said Ed Fast, Canada’s international trade minister.

The United States faces potential trade sanctions from Canada and Mexico after the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled on Oct. 20 that it had failed to bring its meat labeling regulations fully in line with international fair trading rules. The U.S. regulations require retailers, such as grocery stores, to list the country of origin on meat.

Fast said progress in the dispute was incremental, but that Canada was hopeful the United States will actually now make sincere efforts to eliminate the discriminatory nature of these labeling requirements.