RED DEER – United States agriculture secretary Tom Vilsak announced Feb. 20 the final version of the country-of-origin labelling law will go ahead as scheduled March 16.
However, the secretary requested voluntary guidelines, which the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association says hints of another rule.
“The real question is (whether) the new secretary (is) creating a new rule,” said Dennis Laycraft, CCA executive vice-president.
The CCA will ask the federal government to restart a World Trade Organization challenge that was sidelined when changes were made to the final rule in January by the previous U.S. government. It allowed some mingling of Canadian and American animals at the slaughter plant.
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Canadian producers are asked to maintain personal records of losses when selling livestock to the U.S. to add as evidence for a WTO challenge.
The U.S. rule requires groceries to have country-of-origin labelling on fresh red meats and poultry, fish and seafood as well as frozen fruits and vegetables.
The secretary suggested after the rule goes into effect that the industry should voluntarily provide more detailed labels to cover processed foods and explain more fully what happened as the meat was processed at each step of the food chain. It also suggests changes in labels for ground meat products.
A letter to the industry dated Feb. 20 suggested animals born and raised in Country X and slaughtered in Country Y might be labelled as “born and raised in Country X and slaughtered in Country Y.” Animals born in Country X but raised and slaughtered in Country Y might be labelled as “born in Country X and raised and slaughtered in Country Y.”
The final rule requires simpler labels that state “Product of U.S./Canada.”
“He is trying to push the industry well beyond what is practical and will not allow trade to happen,” said Laycraft. “The last thing the meat industry needs is more cost that is hurting everybody in North America.”
Laycraft estimates the rule has cost the Canadian meat industry $400 million.
However, how food companies decide to work through the rule will not be fully understood until it goes into effect in mid-March.
