Last winter, I wrote this article which noted that Canada and Mexico both filed complaints with the World Trade Organization (“WTO”) against the United States. Canada and Mexico asserted that our Country-of-Origin Labeling (“COOL”) law violates the international standards of the WTO. Our North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”) partners have experienced a significant decline in agriculture revenues due to the enactment of mandatory COOL (“mCOOL”). This past week, both Canada and Mexico announced that it will continue with its complaint against the United States with the WTO. Our livestock industry depends on a good relationship with both Canada and Mexico.
I encourage you to read my article written last winter in the ABA Agriculture Committee Newsletter on COOL as it explains this long process with the WTO in more detail. If the United States is ultimately found to have violated international law then our mCOOL law may have to revert back to a voluntary labeling program.