Canada’s Top International Trade Officer and Ag Minister are disappointed the U.S. is appealing the WTO ruling that found part of its Country of Origin Labeling law trade distorting. Canadian Cattlemen’s Director of Government and International Relations John Masswohl says he assumed the decision would be appealed. He now expects an expedited process that could bring retaliatory tariffs quicker than the U.S. expects.
Masswohl says he expects Canada and Mexico to win this latest appeal.
U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says USDA cannot find a way to handle the COOL issue administratively and that either Canada or Mexico or the U.S. Congress has to come up with ideas about how to fix it. Masswohl says Canada has been clear on what needs to be done for resolution.
Masswohl says he expects oral arguments on the appeal to take place in mid February of 2015 in Geneva with a decision in late spring and tariffs taking place later in the summer.