Legal briefs were filed this week in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit over the appeal involving Country of Origin Labeling. The Plaintiffs including the American Meat Institute are continuing to argue COOL hinders free speech by compelling it with the regulation’s reporting requirements. AMI Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Mark Dopp says the burden is on the federal government that represents COOL to prove their case.
Dopp says just because some consumers say they have the right to know where their meat or products come from doesn’t demonstrate the necessity to compel free speech, thus label reporting.
He says it’s a very interesting case where the ramifications of it could be quite significant.
Dopp says the Government of Canada has filed an Amicus brief to join the case as a friend of the court supporting those challenging COOL. Oral arguments are scheduled for May 19 before all the judges in the DC circuit.
