The chair of the Canadian Pork Council says Canada’s pork producers remain hopeful the U.S. government will bring Mandatory Country of Origin Labelling into compliance with it’s World Trade Organization obligations without the need for retaliatory tariffs.
Last month the World Trade Organization gave the United States until May 23, 2013 to bring its Mandatory Country of Origin Labelling law into compliance with WTO rules or face the prospects of retaliatory tariffs.
A report prepared for the Canadian Pork Council and released Monday indicates by October 2012 losses to Canadian pork producers reached 1.9 billion dollars and continue to mount.
CPC chair Jean-Guy Vincent says the organization has been working with allies in Canada, Mexico and the United States to find a timely and effective legislated end to this discrimination.
COOL continues to cost Canadian hog and cattle producers tens of millions of dollars every month and must be dealt with sooner rather than later.
The WTO has concluded that the U.S. must change those aspects of COOL which discriminate against Canadian livestock.
We expect the U.S. will adhere to the May 23, 2013 deadline set by WTO although an earlier adherence will be welcomed.
If the U.S does not comply with this WTO obligation or resolve the COOL dispute the report’s finding will be used to estimate retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports to Canada.
Vincent stresses the hope is that the U.S. will comply with the WTO ruling without the need for retaliatory tariffs.
