(Dave Bedard photo)

U.S. bill to repeal COOL advances

Washington | Reuters — U.S. legislation to repeal country-of-origin meat labelling (COOL) laws, which the World Trade Organization found discriminate against Mexico and Canada, passed a congressional committee on Wednesday and moved one step closer to becoming law. The House of Representatives’ agriculture committee approved the bill on a vote of 38-6, clearing the way […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

U.S. lawmaker sees early June vote to repeal COOL

Washington | Reuters –– U.S. House of Representatives agriculture committee chairman Mike Conaway said on Tuesday he expects an early June vote on legislation to repeal U.S. meat labeling laws, to avoid costly retaliation from Canada and Mexico. Canada and Mexico began preparing retaliatory steps against U.S. goods on Monday, after a World Trade Organization […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle, hogs stumble on supply, demand woes

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed lower Monday on concern that supplies might outstrip demand ahead of the U.S. Memorial Day holiday-shortened work week, traders said. Packers bought fewer cattle last week which may have compounded the seasonal supply increase, they said. Cattle numbers are sufficient as grocers and restaurants […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

WTO panel rejects final U.S. appeal on COOL

Canada is set to ask the World Trade Organization to allow a long list of retaliatory tariffs against U.S. agrifoods and other goods, after a WTO panel shot down Washington’s final defense of its country-of-origin labelling (COOL) law on meat. The WTO Appellate Body on Monday released its report on the U.S. government’s appeal of […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. loses WTO appeal in meat labeling dispute: source

Reuters — The United States has lost its appeal against a World Trade Organization ruling ordering it to bring its meat labeling laws into line with global trade rules, according to a government official familiar with the dispute. In 2011, Canada and Mexico won a WTO ruling that said the U.S. country-of-origin labeling (COOL) rules […] Read more



Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott, shown here at the U.N. in September, is backing plans for a nationwide country-of-origin labelling program. (PM.gov.au via Flickr)

Australia plans country-of-origin labelling after hep A outbreak

Sydney | Reuters — Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott backed plans on Thursday to introduce country-of-origin labelling in the wake of a hepatitis A outbreak, potentially risking contravention of World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. With 18 confirmed cases of hepatitis A linked to consumption of berries sold by Patties Foods Ltd., Abbott said he had […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. ‘intransigence’ continues in WTO COOL hearing: officials

The U.S. government’s defense of its country-of-origin labelling (COOL) rule still shows “blatant protectionism and intransigence” according to Canadian officials at what’s expected to be the law’s last appearance before the World Trade Organization (WTO). U.S., Canadian and Mexican officials appeared Tuesday in Geneva before the WTO Appellate Body, where the U.S. hopes to overturn […] Read more


(File photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. defense of COOL goes to WTO in February

The U.S. government will have its day at the World Trade Organization next month, as its defense of its mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) laws for retail meat is now booked for an oral hearing. The WTO’s Appellate Body division has scheduled its hearing of the U.S. government’s appeal for Feb. 16 and 17 at WTO […] Read more

(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

U.S. to appeal latest WTO loss on COOL

Canada will have to wait up to three more months before it can impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods over Washington’s mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) law on meat from imported livestock. The U.S. government on Friday filed a notice of appeal against the latest ruling by a World Trade Organization (WTO) compliance panel, which last […] Read more