The Alberta Government has come out in strong opposition as talks in the United States about Country of Origin Labelling for beef and pork rears its ugly head.
The Province says they've heard reports members from the U.S. House of Representatives are wanting to amend the Canada-United States-Mexico (CUSMA) trade agreement to include mandatory Country of Origin Labelling, more commonly known as COOL.
The Province says including this failed law in the trade pact would add billions of dollars in additional costs for both Canadian and U.S. industries, with no measurable consumer benefit.
The U.S. repealed COOL back in 2015 after nearly a decade of fighting for the repeal from both federal and provincial governments and industry on both sides of the border, as well as repeated rulings by the World Trade Organization the law violated trade obligations.
“The members of Congress pushing this need to realize it isn’t something industry in Canada or the U.S. want to revisit," says Alberta's Ag and Forestry Minister, Devin Dreeshen. "It isn’t consistent with American trade obligations, and it isn’t good for farmers in either country who want a fair and predictable trade relationship."
The Alberta Government says this would only result in American consumers paying higher prices for their beef and pork.
They say quick adoption of the trade agreement, as negotiated, is fundamental to the Canada-U.S. trade relationship.
Sat, May 4, 10:00 AM
