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World Trade Org Rules Against Country of Origin Labeling.

World Trade Organization Rules Against USA on MCOOL.

By Joe Dales,   Farms.com

The World Trade Organization has ruled against the United States’ mandatory country of origin labeling law for beef and pork.

The WTO final ruling concludes the challenges from Canada and Mexico that began when the United States Department of Agriculture first implemented the law after the 2008 Farm Bill. The latest COOL changes still require labelling information on where an animal is born, raised and slaughtered and were implemented in 2013 after the WTO had previously found COOL  violated WTO trade laws.

The WTO compliance panel ruled that the amended COOL requirements result in Canadian and Mexican livestock getting less favorable treatment than U.S. livestock.

Some of the key statements from the WTO ruling include:

“In particular, the compliance panel concluded that the amended COOL measure increases the original COOL measure's detrimental impact on the competitive opportunities of imported livestock in the U.S. market, because it necessitates increased segregation of meat and livestock according to origin; entails a higher recordkeeping burden; and increases the original COOL measure's incentive to choose domestic over imported livestock.”

“The detrimental impact caused by the amended COOL measure's labeling and recordkeeping rules could not be explained by the need to convey to consumers information regarding the countries where livestock were born, raised, and slaughtered.”

The United States now has 60 days to appeal if they decide to challenge the panel’s ruling.

The American Meat Institute and North American Meat Association have released a statement in which ask the U.S. Congress to amend the COOL statute so that it complies with international obligations and brings stability to the market. “Such a change would help restore strong relationships with some of our largest and most important trading partners,” they said.

 The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is concerned that the WTO ruling allows Canada and Mexico one step closer to bringing in retaliatory tariffs.

 “NCBA has maintained that there is no regulatory fix to bring the COOL rule into compliance with our WTO obligations or that will satisfy our top trading partners. We look forward to working with Congress to find a permanent solution to this issue, avoiding retaliation against not only beef, but a host of U.S. products,” said NCBA president Bob McCan.

Canada and Mexico have both indicated that they will retaliate with tariffs on a wide variety of U.S. products that will result in lost in sales in the billions and put thousands of jobs at risk. 

Additional Stories on this topic:

National Pork Producers Council: NPPC Urges For Fix To COOL Law.

 http://www.farms.com/news/nppc-urges-for-fix-to-cool-law-83048.aspx

Canadian Agriculture Minister Ritz Calls For USA To Comply With WTO Decision and Respect Trade Obligations.

http://www.farms.com/news/ministers-fast-ritz-call-on-u-s-to-comply-with-wto-decision-and-respect-trade-obligations-83072.aspx

 


Trending Video

The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

Video: The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.

 

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