Canada expects U.S. to appeal next COOL ruling

CALGARY - Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz says the next ruling in a long, drawn-out dispute over meat-labelling requirements in the United States is only a couple of weeks away. Ritz said the World Trade Organization is to release its next ruling around Oct. 20, but that won't be the end of the conflict. "With the mid-terms (elections) going on in the U.S., this is a political solution to a problem that doesn't exist. I fully expect them to appeal again. They have one last gasp," Ritz said Thursday. U.S. country-of original labelling, known as COOL was introduced in 2002 and has been enforced since 2008. The law requires labels on packaged meat from outside the country to say where the animal was born, raised and slaughtered. Ottawa contends that the rules have cost Canadian and other meat producers billions of dollars. The policy is blamed for reducing Canadian cross-border beef and pork exports by half. Some U.S. companies have said they can't afford to sort, label and store meat from Canada differently than meat from domestic animals. Industry groups argue the information is of no real value to the consumer. Opponents also say the rules violate provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)...more