Livestock producers and consumers will suffer if the UnitedStates does not appeal the World Trade Organization ruling that says Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) discriminates against imported cattle and pork, according to Silvia Christen, executive director of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association.
"We've seen solid markets with country-of-origin labeling," Christen said. "We're really disappointed to see that the WTO has this kind of drastic jurisdiction over our U.S. citizens and the laws that our own elected officials are making. That's a real concern to us and our national sovereignty."
In mid-November, a three-member WTO dispute settlement panel agreed that the U.S. has the right to require country-of-origin labeling, but said U.S. labeling requirements violated trade agreements by giving less than favorable treatment to Canadian and Mexican livestock and meat products. The U.S. requires that meat produced from outside the country be labeled as such. The WTO has ruled such labeling is unfair under existing trade agreements.
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