Canadian Livestock Producers against Mandatory COOL

August 23, 2007 — 

Canadian cattle and hog producers are asking the Canadian government to challenge U.S. legislation mandating Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) due to be implemented in September 2008.

The producers contend that the COOL requirements create an illegal trade barrier and ask that the provisions conform to international trade agreements. They expressed concern that labeling regulations could result in discrimination against Canadian products resulting in reduced use of the products or discounted prices.

COOL was originally introduced in the 2002 Farm Bill and contained provisions requiring pork products and other covered commodities to be labeled indicating where the source livestock were born, raised, and slaughtered. The original legislation was scheduled to be enacted by September 30, 2004. Implementation has since been delayed until recent Congressional action moved the process forward by creating categories of labeling: one that indicates product was born, raised and slaughtered in the United States; one that indicates product was not exclusively born, raised and slaughtered in the U.S.; and one that includes products entirely derived from foreign countries. Ground meat product can be labeled with a list of countries where product may have originated.

U.S. pork producers have argued against mandatory COOL supporting instead a voluntary initiative. They argue that country of origin labeling is a marketing tool and will result in increased costs to producers and decreased international trade while offering no improvement in product quality or food safety. Processors, distributors and retailers have also expressed concern with the additional storage space necessary to maintain product separation.