The repeal does not apply to anything else, such as fish.
The bill amends the Agriculture Marketing Act of 1946 and
now goes to the full House for a vote.
“We must do all we
can to avoid retaliation by Canada and Mexico, and this bill accomplishes that
through full repeal of labeling requirements for beef, pork, and chicken,” said
Agriculture Committee Chairman Michael Conaway, a Republican from Texas.
Both Democrats and Republicans on the Agriculture Committee voted
in favour of scrapping COOL which is costing Canadian beef and pork producers
more than $1.5 billion a year by reducing demand, and therefore prices, for
Canadian cattle and hogs.
American meat packers
have to keep Canadian and Mexican meat separate so it can be accurately
labeled.
“We will continue working to get this to the House floor as
quickly as possible to ensure our economy and a vast range of U.S. industries
and the men and women who work for them do not suffer any economic implications
of retaliation, ” said Conaway.
Canada has had allies from the U.S. meat and poultry
industries which been seeking repeal of the COOL since the regulations went
into effect in 2009. They set up to the COOL Reform Coalition to put pressure
on legislators.
