US Cattle Farmers Do Not Want Trade War with Canada and Mexico
US - The World Trade Organization will soon allow Canada and Mexico to impose over $3 billion worth of retaliatory tariffs annually on an array of U.S. commodities
28 July 2015
1 minute read
Country-of-Origin labeling (COOL) is a mandatory marketing program under USDA originally aimed to push demand for U.S. beef, happens to be unpopular among beef farmers.
According to US National Beef cattlemen’s Association (NCBA), recently introduced legislation fails to fix mandatory Country-of-Origin labeling COOL, driving the United States even closer to a trade war with Canada and Mexico.
Philip Ellis, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association president said: “The ten-year cost of COOL is over $8 billion according to the USDA, and we are now facing retaliation by two of our largest trading partners for violating our international trade obligations,”
Canada and Mexico account for over $1 billion each in U.S. beef purchases. More limited access to these two markets due to tariffs levied under COOL program could cost U.S. cattle producers $115 to $120 per animal sold.
NCBA stands firmly on proposal to repeal the COOL program.
Mr. Ellis spoke up on behalf of business community: ”This program has been burdensome to cattle producers for over a decade. The beef industry has many successful labeling programs already in place that consumers know, are willing to pay for, and that drive demand for U.S. beef.
"It is unfathomable that some are calling a program that forces our country into a trade war, and has a negative return-on-investment in the millions, a success worth keeping.”
TheCattleSite News Desk
