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Livestock

U.S. COOL proposal unlikely to affect Canadian beef

Tabled legislation would see processors fined per pound of improperly marked meat

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Proposed U.S. legislation could see distributors fined for meat that is improperly labelled as “Made in the USA,” but industry experts north of the border say it is unlikely to pass muster. The bill would set out processor fines of US$5,000 per pound of beef that doesn’t meet label standards. COOL, or country-of-origin labelling, surged […] Read more
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Livestock, Markets

Canada warns VCOOL would sabotage shared Canada-U.S. goals, supply chains

The Canadian government has submitted its views on proposed U.S. food labelling rules

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Proposed U.S. country of origin labelling rules run contrary to mutual Canada and U.S. goals to reduce inflation, improve food security and build resilient supply chains, according to a submission from the Canadian government to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “One of the great strengths of the U.S.-Canada bilateral relationship is the successful integration of […] Read more
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Livestock

Meat lobby says U.S. voluntary label rule could spur trade action

Ottawa to review Washington's proposed 'Product of USA' rule

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U.S. meat industry lobbyists say Washington’s proposed new rules governing voluntary ‘Product of USA’ or ‘Made in the USA’ labels would “impose the same standard” as that country’s now-defunct mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) law — and frustrate U.S. packers who import Canadian meat or livestock. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Food Safety and […] Read more
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Livestock, Markets

U.S. congressmen seek revival of mandatory COOL on beef

Bipartisan bill calls for WTO-compliant take on label law

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A bill that would order U.S. officials to come up with a way to bring back mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) on beef has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Lance Gooden, a Republican from Texas, and Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, on Wednesday introduced H.R. 7291, proposing to restore the […] Read more
Tom Vilsack speaking at the 2019 World Dairy Expo.
Markets, News

Vilsack willing to help with WTO-compliant COOL

Former, and future, ag secretary gets bi-partisan support

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Tom Vilsack, who at the time of this writing appeared close to becoming United States secretary of agriculture once again, said he will be happy to advance country-of-origin labelling policies, if they comply with international trade rules. During his Feb. 2 confirmation hearing of the Senate agricultural committee, Vilsack, who held the post during the […] Read more
(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)
Livestock

Amended CUSMA pact includes anti-COOL clause

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The new Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), a free trade deal set to replace NAFTA, includes language meant to block any future bids at a trade-disrupting country-of-origin labeling (COOL) law. The new clause would, in theory, checkmate a move made last summer by some Democrat members of the U.S. House of Representatives to have a new North […] Read more
U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota meets a double-amputee rescue dog at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on May 21, 2019. (Photo: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)
Livestock

Rookie U.S. House Democrats call for COOL revival

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Several new members of the U.S. House of Representatives who’ve pressed for stronger language on labour and environmental standards in the revised North American free trade deal now also want it to include country-of-origin labeling (COOL) on meat. A letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, dated Tuesday and signed by 27 freshman House Democrats, […] Read more
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent monitors the Canada/U.S. border near Sweet Grass, Montana, about 100 km southeast of Lethbridge. (CBP.gov)
Livestock

Guenther: Canada’s beef export sector waiting, watching

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As speculation swirls around U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to renegotiate NAFTA, officials with Canada’s beef industry are taking a measured approach. They’re not ignoring the possibility of trade disruptions in the U.S., said Ryder Lee, CEO of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association — “but neither are we lighting our hair on fire yet at each […] Read more
(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)
Livestock

Cattle producers urge trade fight if Trump revives COOL

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Winnipeg | Reuters — Canadian cattle producers will urge Ottawa to retaliate against the U.S. if the incoming Trump administration imposes a meat labelling program it views as discriminatory, restarting a six-year trade battle, an industry group said on Wednesday. U.S. news network CNN reported on Tuesday that a memo drafted by President-elect Donald Trump’s […] Read more
(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)
Livestock, Markets

U.S. COOL rules formally off beef, pork

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The U.S. Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has formally patched a long-sore spot in cross-border trade relations by pulling its country-of-origin labelling (COOL) regulations off beef and pork. The AMS, an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), published its amendments Wednesday in the U.S. Federal Register. The changes, which took effect upon publication, mean […] Read more

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