This week, a World Trade Organization arbitration panel is hearing arguments from Canada, Mexico and the United States over possible retaliation by Canada and Mexico over the U.S. Country of Origin Labeling law. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Vice President of Government Affairs Colin Woodall says each country will be telling the panel what type of retaliation should or should not be approved.
Woodall says whatever amount of retaliation is approved will negatively impact U.S. beef trade. He says however unless Congress takes steps to prevent the retaliation by repealing COOL, the overall trade impacts will be even worse.
In an earlier WTO case, the trade body ruled the U.S. Country of Origin Labeling law is trade distorting.