Despite twice losing in the court of the World Trade Organization, the Trump administration says it will entertain a petition calling for Country 0f Origin Labelling.
The petition specifically complains that imported meat, when it is processed at a plant in the United States, can be labelled “product of U.S.A.”
The same is true in reverse in Canada.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service division of the United States Department of Agriculture has announced it will consider a petition calling for COOL labelling.
On its website, it says it is entertaining public and stakeholder comments through the regulations.gov website, until August 17.
The petition, submitted by the Organization for Competitive Markets and the American Grassfed Association, specifically targets grass-fed beef.
About 75 to 80 per cent of these products sold in the United States are of meat imported from Australia and South America, among other countries, the petitioners say.
The overall beef market in the United States is about nine per cent imported meat.
“Hit hardest by misbranding of U.S. meat products are those U.S. producers who have been transitioning their operations to grassfed beef.
“This market opportunity has been the one bright spot in U.S. cattle production with sales nearly doubling annually,” the petition says.
