Oral arguments in Meat group’s challenge of the U.S. Country of Origin Labeling law are set for May 19. Legal briefs in the appeal were filed this week by both sides in the case. The South Dakota Stock Grower’s Association supports COOL. Executive Director Silvia Christen says past court rulings have backed the labeling law and the plaintiff’s free speech argument has been tried before without success.
Christen says COOL proponents have a solid case and she expects the rule to hold up when it’s before all the circuit judges in the EN BANC appeal hearing in May.
Christen says the plaintiff’s seeking a preliminary injunction in order to stop COOL with their appeal is a last gasp effort to get rid of the law.
The District Court appeal comes up in May while the WTO will be ruling on the U.S. appeal of Canada and Mexico’s challenge of the law before that body this summer.
