House Bill Seeking WTO-Compliant COOL for Beef Introduced
Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., introduced a bill this week to reinstate mandatory country of origin labeling for beef, but unlike an earlier House bill (see 2308070018), his bill says the labeling must be in compliance with World Trade Organization rules.
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A previous COOL regime for meat was dropped after Mexico and Canada sued at the WTO. Johnson, in a news release, said his bill directs the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to consult with Mexico and Canada on the mandatory COOL trade disputes that are still open.
He explained that after the U.S. lost the COOL case at the WTO, the body authorized over $1 billion in tariffs on U.S. exports to Canada and Mexico. The same month that happened -- December 2015 -- Congress repealed the law that allowed only "USA" for cattle born, raised and slaughtered in the U.S.
"The WTO cases still remain active today, with Canada and Mexico keeping the cases open to put pressure on the U.S. to prevent any attempt at reinstating MCOOL," the release said.