Council chairman Rick Bergmann says “this
is a very complicated process and the Canadian team performed very well in
making our case and answering many complex questions.
“It has been very frustrating trying to
have the United States make COOL WTO consistent,” meaning within the world
trade standards for trade.
“We have now been to Geneva five times
to fight these unfair U.S. labelling regulations.
“We won nearly three years ago years
ago; the U.S. introduced a new system in May, 2013, which is even worse for
Canadian livestock exports. The U.S. lost again but appealed almost
immediately,” Bergmann says.
The regulations are costing Canada’s hog
farmers about $1 billion per year because U.S. packers are reluctant to bid on
Canadian hogs whose pork must be segregated throughout processing so the
required labels can be applied.
Mexico has also complained.
“Notwithstanding three losses, the U.S.
prefers to litigate and stall,” says the Canadian Pork Council in a news
release.
“It has refused to remove the
discrimination in COOL while it admits that there continues to be a detrimental
effect.”
Bergmann says “the blatant
protectionism and intransigence of the U.S. position was clear throughout the
hearings.
“We believe that the appellate body,
which asked very penetrating questions to all parties, should now bring this to
a final result.”
Bergman said “the Government of Canada
has been very helpful, including warnings that U.S. failure to make changes to
be WTO consistent could result in retaliation against U.S. exports to Canada.
“We hope that it does not come to this –
we want our U.S. market back. But justice delayed is justice denied and we have
waited much too long.”
The pork council and the Canadian
Cattlemen's Association have been coordinating with the Government of Canada to
remove the inequities of the U.S. COOL regime.
