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Country Of Origin Labeling For Meat Hits Another WTO Roadblock

The World Trade Organization has again ruled against United States labeling on packaged steak and other cuts of meat that detail where the animals were born, raised and slaughtered.

The "Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America" is a Billings-based cattle trade association that is not happy with the development."R-Calf USA" CEO, Bill Bullard, maintains the ruling is further proof the WTO continues its full-court press for creation of a "Made-in the World" label.

Bullard characterizes the decision as further proof of - as he puts it - an "intolerable ceding of U.S. sovereignty".

"Because we have now had three court decisions that have ruled that our domestic country of origin labeling law is constitutional and is compliant with our statutes. On the other hand, we now have an un-elected, un-appointed, international tribunal that is undermining our domestic laws and our court case decisions. This presents a real dilemma to the United States," Bullard says.

Bullard adds the ruling was led by WTO presiding member and Mexican national Ricardo Ramirez-Hernandez.

"In the United States you would never have a party to a complaint actually representing the judge in the decision; but at the World Trade Organization that appears to be the normal operating procedure. Here we have a Mexican national that is presiding over a case that Mexico is a party to. This is a clear conflict of interest."

This is the fourth and final time the WTO rejected a U.S. appeal of "country of origin" - or COOL - meat labels on the grounds they put Canadian and Mexican livestock interests at a disadvantage.

Montana Stockgrowers Association Executive Vice President, Errol Rice, calls the development "discouraging".

"Our assessment is that USDA has exhausted all options to comply with our trade agreements to implement our country of origin labeling protocol. It now likely means that Congress will have to step in. They'll have to decide whether to repeal the label or uphold it and suffer retaliatory action."

Rice points out that maintaining existing country of origin meat labeling after this week's ruling could result in wide ranging and potentially harmful economic penalties.

"Top Montana exports impacted by "COOL" retaliation as according to the Canadian government: live cattle - we value nearly a million dollars in exports to that country; $7 million worth of pasta; $2 million worth of cherries and nearly half a million dollars worth of corn. So there are some severe implications if we don't move swiftly."

Not everyone in the meat industry supports country of origin labeling for meat. Rice says it's a complex issue.

"It's been a very difficult from the perspective of the meat processing industry to comply with the labeling law in terms of segregating product at the packing sector. This issue has unfortunately been very divisive within the meat industry, including the cow-calf business in the United States."

Back in Billings, R-Calf USA’s Bill Bullard says Country of origin labeling for meat products is both a health and a marketing issue.

"For example if a consumer becomes aware that there are health issues related to meat produced in Honduras or Nicaragua, with country of origin labeling they could choose to avoid that product. Without country of origin labeling, the only way they could avoid meat from (those places) would be to avoid all meat."

The Associated Press reports Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has said that if the WTO ruled against the final U.S. appeal, Congress will have to weigh in to avoid retaliation from Mexico and Canada.

Edward O’Brien first landed at Montana Public Radio three decades ago as a news intern while attending the UM School of Journalism. He covers a wide range of stories from around the state.
edward.obrien@umt.edu.  
(406) 243-4065
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