Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and the Manitoba Pork Council (MPC) are both in support of the federal government's decision to move ahead with the retaliatory tariffs against the US, if the mandatory Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) requirements are not repealed.
MBP General Manager Melinda German says there are pockets in the US of those who support COOL, but notes more and more people are questioning what COOL is about.
She feels for the most part, people are behind this move.
"I think there is support in terms of what we're trying to do and where we're trying to move. I think when you do something like this, there's going to be some pressure back, but I think people realize what we're after and where we have to go."
MPC Chair George Matheson notes retaliation is not a direction that pork producers on either side of the border want to see, but it is a necessary step in resolving the issue.
He says they were busy meeting with US officials this week at the World Pork Expo in Iowa.
"Our main goal here was to meet with the Senators, or at least their assistants, which we did and communicate to them how important this is to both countries. I think it was important that we did that because to some degree the reaction is 'oh, is that an issue?'. Yes it's a huge issue, and they gave us a fair bit of time and listened intently and we're hoping that they take this message to the Senators and they vote to repeal it."
Source : PortageOnline