Canada threatens retaliation over U.S. meat-labelling rules

[alp227]

Source: Canadian Press

The federal government is threatening "retaliatory measures" against the United States in a dispute over meat-labelling rules that Ottawa and the World Trade Organization consider discriminatory.

The U.S. government has announced new regulations on so-called country-of-origin labelling that would track beef and pork through the meat processing and distribution systems.

Canada objects to the labelling system on the grounds that it is costly, burdensome and will lead to the "disintegration" of the North American supply chain.

"Canada is extremely disappointed with the regulatory changes put forward by the United States today," Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Trade Minister Ed Fast said in a joint press release Thursday.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/05/24/business-meat-labelling.html

[freshwest]

1. We lost COO rules under Bush. It's time to get them back. Canadians have complained of lack of COO

in their own country, and Canadian products are sold here with people thinking they are buying from a country with high regulatory standards.

It was revealed a few years back that Canadian producers were getting ingredients from China that were unsafe, but the public didn't know. Some of that was due to the melamine poisoning. Canadians were justifiably angry.

COO labeling is a progressive product safety idea and a matter of individual choice. The WTO is wrong. Again.

[okaawhatever]

2. thanks for the info on that. nt

[byeya]

5. I really want to know what's in my food and where the food comes from. What are they hiding?

As with the Senate vote, the majority simply no longer count.

[Crowman1979]

3. More like the Canadian corporations and their Torrie lackeys are threatening retaliation.

[freshwest]

4. Yes, I think Canadians agree with COO. 'I fart in the general direction' of the WTO, etc.

[byeya]

6. This OP comes under the heading of "Good information; bad news"..Many thanks!

[im1013]

7. "Retalliation"?... really????.... Canada???????

[daleo]

8. People have the right to know where their food originated

Health and life can be at stake. If trade deals eliminate that right, the trade deals need to be changed or rescinded. Trade deals aren't supposed to be suicide pacts.

[Sunlei]

9. why the heck is a label "costly"? you get the shipping containers of meat from 'somewhere'?

Or is Canada afraid LABEL/computer tracking will show a 20k shipping container of BEEF comes through the end process as 40k of beef..like magic. The world wants to know what they eat and where it comes from.