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Vilsack mum on COOL ruling

The World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) latest decision on U.S. country-of-origin labeling (COOL) laws is expected to be made public in September.

Many in the livestock and meat industries anticipate that ruling will go against the U.S., which could lead to retaliatory trade measures by Canada and Mexico.  Brownfield asked Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack if COOL is ruled out of compliance, if he’s willing to work with Congress at amend the COOL statue so that it complies.

“I’m not going to comment on the WTO case because it is still in the process and when the decision is ultimately public, we will deal with it at that point time—because we will have a definitive decision and a finite decision,” says Vilsack.

In late July, 112 members of Congress sent a letter to Vilsack saying that, if the U.S. loses the COOL case, he should rescind the laws and allow Congress to resolve the issue.

“What we intend to do and what we have always intended to do, and will continue to try to do, is to make sure we are consistent with congressional direction and, at the same time, also consistent with the WTO rules,” Vilsack says.

COOL laws mandate that meat products be labeled to tell where the food animals were born, raised and slaughtered.

AUDIO: Tom Vilsack (1:04 MP3)

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