An injunction to temporarily halt implementation of new country of origin labelling regulations in the United States is expected to get a first court hearing Aug. 27.
A coalition of eight meat processors and livestock organizations in Canada, Mexico and the United States filed for the injunction in July. The U.S. department of justice filed a counter motion defending the rule and asked for the rule to go ahead in its latest form.
The proposed changes were sparked by a World Trade Organization ruling last year that the U.S. department of agriculture regulation discriminated against imported livestock under existing rules.
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The new rule was regarded as even stricter by nations outside the U.S., including Canada, which led to the current legal challenge.
The status of the court case was among the topics discussed at the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association semi-annual meeting Aug. 13-15 in London, Ont.
“We don’t know what is actually going to happen. That will be left to the court,” said Martin Unrau, association president.
The full case requesting that the law be rescinded will be heard later this fall and an appeal before the WTO against the new regulation could occur around the same time.
Ongoing concerns around farm risk management programs were discussed at the meeting. The organization has long argued that current programs do not offer equitable coverage for cattle producers compared to the grain sector.
“It is hard to compete when you don’t have the same programs,” he said.
Alberta has a cattle price insurance program and it was hoped the concept would go national, but no progress has been made even as feedlot profits are non- existent and calf prices were low in the spring.
