Opponents of country-of-origin labels (COOL) on meat sold in grocery stores say they will focus on getting Congress to remodel the law. The foes withdrew a lawsuit against COOL rather than appeal to the Supreme Court after adverse rulings in U.S. district and appellate courts. “We’re committed to working with Congress to fix COOL once and for all,” said Barry Carpenter, chief executive of North American Meat Institute, the lead plaintiff in the challenge to the law. The World Trade Organization has ruled three times against the U.S. labeling rules, saying they are a trade barrier in disguise against Mexico and Canada. WTO is expected to rule in the near future on a U.S. appeal of its latest opinion.
Congress has instructed the USDA to report on how its regulations can be modified to satisfy WTO’s objections and still comply with the labeling law. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has suggested that a legislative remedy is needed. At present, the USDA requires packages of beef, pork and poultry to say where the livestock was born, raised and slaughtered.
The COOL Reform Coalition says Congress should terminate sections of the law that do not comply with WTO rulings to avoid retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports. In a statement, the National Farmers Union urged Congress “to stand by the popular labeling law, supported by roughly 90 percent of consumers.” NFU says COOL does not impede livestock and meat trade.