Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says he lacks authority to
change Country-of-Origin Labeling regulations to bring them into line with
World Trade Organization standards.
And he says the United States has not yet decided whether it
will file an appeal of the latest WTO ruling in favour of complaints about COOL
by Canada and Mexico.
Vilsack told the National Association of Farm
Broadcasters that USDA doesn’t see a regulatory “fix” to U.S. country-of-origin
labeling law.
In a weekend press conference at the NAFB's
convention in Kansas City, the Secretary said, in response to a
question, “We have looked at this from every different angle. I can tell
you we do not think there's a regulatory fix that would allow us to be
consistent with the law … and to satisfy the WTO.”
Vilsack said on the broadcast he sees only a
couple ways to solve the problem. Either Canada and Mexico can more clearly
direct what if any variation would work for them, or Congress will have to
provide “different directions” that would allow the agency to satisfy WTO
obligations and prevent trade retaliations.
The U.S. Trade Representative’s Office is
considering an appeal of the WTO ruling, Vilsack said.
"I have not asked my team how strong the
appeal might be," he added.
A recording of the entire press conference is
posted on the AgWired.com website.
