U.S. must bring COOL rule into WTO compliance by May
The World Trade Organization has ruled that the United States must bring its country-of-origin labeling rules into compliance with an earlier WTO ruling by May 23, 2013. The organization ruled in June that the COOL rule discriminated against Canada and Mexico because it gave less favorable treatment to imported beef and pork products than U.S. meat.
The labeling program has led to a sharp reduction in U.S. imports of Canadian pigs and cattle, because it raised costs for U.S. packers by forcing them to segregate those animals from U.S. livestock, reports Reuters.