CFA supports government's request of formal WTO consultations in the COOL dispute

May 8, 2009 -- The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) was pleased to learn that the Government of Canada has followed through on last week's announcement of intent to take action on behalf of farmers in the dispute over U.S. country-of-origin labelling (COOL) measures.
 
On May 7, 2009, the government announced that it was pursuing the next step in the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement process by seeking formal WTO consultations. The announcement comes a week after Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, Stockwell Day, announced the government's intent to take the first steps towards a WTO panel on COOL. Mexico is also in the process of filing a similar request at the WTO.
 
"The CFA is pleased with the Government's ongoing show of support for the Canadian livestock sector," said Laurent Pellerin, CFA President. "CFA and our members have been encouraging government to push for this next step in order to address the negative impact of COOL on our exporter members."
 
According to its release, the government hopes that this round of consultations will lead to a resolution of the COOL dispute. If the consultations do not resolve the dispute, Canada could request the creation of a WTO panel 60 days from the date of its request for consultations.
 
Canadian producers have seen a significant drop in the export of both beef and hogs to the US and charge that COOL is to blame.
 
"By forcing US processors to switch labels based on the country of origin, it has created a hindrance to trade," said Pellerin. "This is an area of great concern for our struggling livestock sector."
About the Canadian Federation of Agriculture
 
Founded in 1935 to provide Canada's farmers with a single voice in Ottawa, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture is the country's largest farmers' organization. Its members include provincial general farm organizations, national and inter-provincial commodity organizations, and cooperatives from every province. Through its members, CFA represents over 200,000 Canadian farmers and farm families.