Any attempts to resurrect Country of Origin Labeling through the North American Free Trade Agreement would do great harm to the U.S. cattle industry. That’s the message National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO Kendall Frazier told members of the House Ag Committee this week. He says if COOL is restored, trade retaliation by Canada and Mexico will be imminent.

He says both Mexican and Canadian officials have resolved to seek those tariffs if the mandatory U.S. COOL law is restored.

Frazier to have that type of retaliation just when the U.S. beef industry is recovering would do devastating economic harm to U.S. cattle producers.

Congress repealed COOL in 2015 but Canada and Mexico still have the authority to retaliate against the U.S. if COOL is brought back into effect.