WTO Rules Against U.S. in Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) Decision
The World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled against the United States’ Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) rule earlier today, a decision that was expected. U.S. meat labels, mandated since 2009, list where the animals are born, raised, and slaughtered. Both Canada and Mexico have argued that the labeling requirements unfairly target their cows and pigs by increasing the compliance cost for meatpackers with little payoff for consumers. This is the 4th time the WTO has ruled against the United States.
Congressman Rick Crawford issued the following statement after the decision.
“Country of Origin Labeling not only drives up compliance costs for our domestic producers, but the WTO’s ruling against the rule will now allow for billions of dollars in retaliatory tariffs against U.S. exports. In order to prevent the further harm this costly rule will inflict on the U.S. economy, today I am introducing legislation – along with a bipartisan group of colleagues – that repeals COOL requirements for meat once and for all.”
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