Friday, July 24, 2015

Senate divided on COOL reform

Hours after Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Trade Minister Ed Fast issued a statement condemning Senator Debbie Stabenow’s proposals to make Country of Origin Meat labeling (COOL) voluntary, a more senior Republican introduced an amendment that would satisfy the Canadians.

Kansas Republican Pat Roberts is chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee and his amendment mirrors action in the House of Representatives to cancel COOL.

Stabenow, who represents voters in Michigan, not only proposed keeping COOL as a voluntary program, but also would retain mandatory COOL for sheep.

Canada has battled COOL for seven years, winning four decisive victories at the World Trade Organization.

If the U.S. does not drop COOL now, Ritz and Fast say they will move ahead with a request  to the World Trade Organization to punish the U.S. with tariffs on about $3.5 billion worth of their exports to Canada.


The World Trade Organization has issued rulings on beef and pork for Canada and Mexico, but not for sheep.