(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

Canada not yet pulling trade trigger on COOL

Canada remains “cautiously optimistic” that the U.S. government will repeal its country-of-origin labelling (COOL) law before the Canadian and Mexican governments impose retaliatory tariffs. Federal Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland, speaking Wednesday from Nairobi on a conference call with reporters, said she was “not going to go into hypotheticals” about Canada’s next move if an omnibus

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Clock ticking to avoid North American food fight

Winnipeg | Reuters –– The North American spat pitting Canada and Mexico against the U.S. over meat labels has sown confusion among producers and shippers in all three countries, with a trade war potentially just weeks away. The World Trade Organization on Monday authorized Canada and Mexico, the biggest markets for exported U.S. goods, to


(Dave Bedard photo)

U.S. hopes to release TPP text in 30 days

Reuters — The U.S. administration hopes to release the full text of a Pacific trade deal within the next 30 days, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said in an interview with CNN. The U.S. sealed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) with 11 trading partners this week, after more than five years of negotiations. “The lawyers are

(Dave Bedard photo)

Clinton says she doesn’t support new TPP deal

Reuters — U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said Wednesday she does not support the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), rejecting a central tenet of President Barack Obama’s strategic pivot to Asia. Clinton said during a campaign swing in Iowa that she is worried about currency manipulation not being part of the agreement and that “pharmaceutical


(Photo courtesy Architect of the Capitol, VisitTheCapitol.gov)

Historic TPP deal faces skeptics in U.S. Congress

Atlanta | Reuters –– Twelve Pacific Rim countries on Monday reached the most ambitious trade pact in a generation, aiming to liberalize commerce in 40 per cent of the world’s economy in a deal that faces skepticism from U.S. lawmakers. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) pact struck in Atlanta after marathon talks could reshape industries, change

She wouldn’t be so worried if she was assured the processing procedures were the same as in the U.S.

Americans will buy imported meat if assured of standards

USDA should help consumers make more informed decisions


With Congress currently debating the repeal of mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) for meat and poultry — federal law in the U.S. since 2002 — new research from the Sam W. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas shines a spotlight on how COOL labelling affects consumers’ purchase decisions. In “A COOL Effect: The


Outright repeal of COOL defies consumer sentiment

Outright repeal of COOL defies consumer sentiment

It was how the meat-packing industry applied the law that caused the negative effects on imports

The fate of the U.S. COOL (country-of-origin labelling) program for beef, pork, and poultry hangs in the balance as Congress goes on its Independence Day recess. Given the May 18, 2015 WTO (World Trade Organization) ruling against COOL, the threat of $3 billion in retaliatory tariffs being imposed on U.S. products by Canada and Mexico,

Supply management compensation plan rumours dismissed by Ritz

Supply management compensation plan rumours dismissed by Ritz

News reports suggest the federal government may yield to outside pressure 
to grant increased access to Canadian markets

A front page Globe and Mail article claiming the federal government is planning a compensation scheme for supply management farmers “is pure speculation,” says Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. The newspaper said the compensation would be intended to blunt the impact on supply management from Canada joining the Trans-Pacific Pact. Speculation about a TPP deal this


smokestacks emitting CO2 emissions

Editorial: Canada’s GHG stance tarnishes our brand

Things aren’t going too well in the international trade agreement department. At the World Trade Organization (WTO) round, which has been dragging along since 1991, it’s come to the point where the director general is actually being honest about its prospects. “Taking an overview of all of these consultations it is hard to see a

U.S. Congress victory may move Pacific trade pact forward

U.S. Congress victory may move Pacific trade pact forward

Washington | Reuters –– U.S. lawmakers approved legislation key to securing a hallmark Pacific trade deal by a comfortable margin on Wednesday, advancing President Barack Obama’s efforts to strengthen U.S. economic ties with Asia. After a six-week congressional battle including two brushes with failure, some fancy legislative footwork and myriad backroom deals to keep the