WASHINGTON, D.C. — Some leading U.S. lawmakers from both political parties sound like they’re ready to accept the end of country-of-origin labelling (COOL).
The World Trade Organization is considering a U.S. appeal of its previous ruling that found COOL was discriminatory to Canadian and Mexican livestock.
A decision is expected May 18.
“We’ll deal with it pretty quickly,” said House of Representatives agriculture committee chair Michael Conaway, a Republican.
“We’ll move legislation to deal with the issue.”
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Debbie Stabenow, the leading Democrat on the Republican-controlled Senate agriculture committee, said she was hoping for a Plan B that would allow some sort of labelling to arise from the ashes of COOL if the WTO rejects the U.S. appeal.
“I do think if the ruling goes against us that there is a path forward to come together around an alternative, something that we embrace, a North American label, for example,” said Stabenow.
Both Stabenow and Conaway were separately answering questions from members of the North American Agriculture Journalists April 28.
COOL has been popular with some U.S. farm groups, like the (U.S.) National Farmers Union and R-CALF, and supported by some politicians from farm states.
Other groups, like the National Pork Producers Council, have long argued against COOL and some politicians have opposed COOL rules for years.
Generally, Republicans are more opposed to COOL, citing its costs to processors and the general damage to the North American industry, while Democrats have been more supportive, saying it gives consumers important information.
Conaway said his committee will try to get rid of the offending provisions of COOL if the WTO rules against the U.S. appeal and won’t cling on to see the nature of Canadian and Mexican retaliation.
“I don’t intend to wait on … the retaliatory measures,” said Conaway. “That process will go on.”
In October 2014, the U.S. settled a long dispute with Brazil over cotton by paying $300 million to the Brazilian Cotton Institute.
That settlement occurred on the eve of Brazil imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods.
Stabenow, who noted that “I support COOL and I always have,” said she believes some sort of origin labelling is important for consumers.
