The general manager of Manitoba Pork Council says there’s strong support within the U.S. for the Canadian position on U.S. Mandatory Country of Origin Labelling.
A delegation representing Manitoba Pork Council is on hand at World Pork Expo in Des Moines this week to discuss a range of issues, including Mandatory U.S. Country of Origin Labelling, with their American counterparts.
Andrew Dickson, the general manager of Manitoba Pork Council, says since it’s introduction in 2008 M-COOL has impacted both Canadian cattle and hog producers to the tune of about one billion dollars per year.
The key message is that both the Canadian and Mexican governments don’t believe that the measures that USDA has initiated on May 23 will bring the United States into compliance with its treaty obligations.
There will continue to be segregation in the market place.
That’s been confirmed with our discussions with producers today, both in terms of contracts or the ability to get contracts, the impact it has on the spot market price on pigs and the ability of weanling producers to sell on an open market here in the United States.
It’s very clear to us that the major farm organizations, the overwhelming number of processing companies and their member organizations and a significant number of other industries, for example the retail association and so on, are not supportive of the current regulations that are in place.
There’s obviously a small group that has some political connections and it’s unfortunate that their views are being catered to.
Dickson says Canadian pork producers would like to see the U.S. government bring in labelling laws that would conform with their treaty obligations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the World Trade Organization.
He says these are critical obligations, we follow them in Canada and we would expect our trading partners to do the same.
