The COOL Reform Coalition sent a letter last week asking Congress to act immediately on developing a contingency plan for the Country of Origin Labeling Law, which was recently ruled non-compliant by the WTO.

“This problem is going to have to get resolved in the next Congress,” said Dr. Howard Hill, president of the National Pork Producers Council, one of the coalition members. “We don’t think that in the lame duck Congress that they’ll probably bring it up.”

The coalition organizations realize that it may still be some time yet before Canada and Mexico might retaliate over the non-compliant law, but Dr. Hill says it’s important for us to be prepared. “Eventually, we’re going to have to get this resolved or we’re going to have retaliation from the Canadians and the Mexicans,” he said, adding that if it gets to that point, it could impact a whole range of products outside of agriculture.

Hill says USDA has tried to fix the rule – but in his opinion made it worse. “We want a fix and we feel that’s not something USDA is going to fix, it has to be done at the legislative level,” he said.

In this interview with Taylor Truckey from the National Association of Farm Broadcasting convention, Hill also talks about the Trans Pacific Partnership trade negotiations, and strategic planning for the pork industry. Interview with Dr. Howard Hill, NPPC president

In their interviews from the National Association of Farm Broadcasting convention, Both Goule and Moore also comment on Country of Origin Labeling (COOL), on which the organizations also hold different viewpoints.

2014 NAFB Convention Photos