Montana Senator Jon Tester has introduced a resolution to reinstate Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Policy Division Vice Chairman Todd Wilkinson says while his group backs voluntary COOL, but having the mandatory designation reinstated could prove costly for America’s cattle producers.
He says since Mandatory COOL was struck down by the World Trade Organization reinstating the program could trigger retaliation from Canada and Mexico, which are top markets for U.S. beef.
Wilkinson says a good compromise would be for Congress to pass the Beef Integrity Act introduced by Senators John Thune and Mike Rounds. He says that measure calls for a Product of the USA label that likely wouldn’t be challenged by other countries at the WTO.
Mandatory COOL was repealed in 2015.
