Meat producers say COOL is unfair

by Pan Demetrakakes
Executive Editor

Country-of-origin labeling (COOL) laws are coming under increasing criticism by meat producers, both within and outside the United States, who say they are unnecessarily restrictive and cumbersome.

COOL went into effect on Oct. 1, and the impact has fallen especially heavily on the meat industry. Some meat processors are refusing to accept cattle or hogs from Canada or Mexico, resulting in prices of up to $30 a head lower than for domestic animals.

Easterday Ranches, a cattle-raising operation in Pasco, Wash., has sued in federal court to invalidate COOL. Up to 40% of cattle in the U.S. Pacific Northwest comes from Canada. Easterday says that COOL is forcing it to segregate Canadian from American cattle during feeding and slaughter, leading to unnecessary expense, and that COOL violates the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Canadian ranchers also are criticizing COOL, saying that major American beef- and pork-processing companies are either restricting Canadian animals to certain days or refusing them altogether. The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and the Canadian Pork Council want their government to challenge COOL under NAFTA and World Trade Organization rules.

Jurgen Preugschas, president of the pork council, wrote a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper asking for action. “Conditions for Canadian producers deteriorate each day," he remarked.

Ian Sheldon, a professor at Ohio State University specializing in international food trade, told cattlenetwork.com that he doesn’t see much benefit accruing from COOL.

“I'm not sure what the economic logic is,” Sheldon said. “I just don't see what the specific risks are for such a law to be required.” He said COOL could result in across-the-board higher prices for consumers due to the extra costs involved in segregating and labeling foreign products.

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