The discussion during last month’s 2016 American Sheep Industry Association Convention spotlighted several major issues brought forward by the large attendance of sheep producers from across the country. “The focus of our meeting this year was current events and current issues,” said ASI President Burton Pfliger. “Agriculture and the sheep industry in particular are facing the new veterinary feed directive, … Read More
Animal Ag Reacts to Omnibus Bill
Late last week Congress passed the $1.15 trillion Omnibus Appropriations Bill, which funds much of the government through fiscal year 2016. The bill repeals mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) which has been one of the hottest issues in animal agriculture as we wrap up 2015. “USDA will be amending the COOL regulations as expeditiously as possible to reflect the repeal of … Read More
Animal Ag Reacts to Cool Announcement
The broad spending and tax legislation compromise unveiled by House Republicans Tuesday night included a very big announcement on the repeal of mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for meat to prevent more than $1 billion in trade sanctions from Mexico and Canada approved last week by the WTO. “Farm Bureau supports COOL programs that are in line with world trade rules,” … Read More
COOL Repeal Secured in Funding Bill
U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, has announced the inclusion of mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) repeal in the year-end funding bill. The bill is currently awaiting a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives. COOL, first authorized in the 2002 Farm Bill and amended in the 2008 Farm Bill, was … Read More
COOL Retaliation – WTO Sets $1.01B in Tariffs
We anticipated this and now it’s here. The World Trade Organization (WTO) announced $1.01 billion retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods authorized in the country-of-origin labeling (COOL) with Canada and Mexico. The WTO has upheld multiple times our neighboring country’s claim that the label creates an unfair advantage to U.S. products. U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Chairman of the Senate Committee … Read More
Dairy Urges Congress to Fix COOL
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) have urged Congress to eliminate the threat of damaging new tariffs on dairy exports to Canada and Mexico by solving a trade dispute over country-of-origin meat labeling in the massive year-end spending bill currently being negotiated on Capitol Hill. In a letter sent yesterday to House and … Read More
Pork News Update
Despite a change in the political party leading the nation, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) believes there are indications Canada will move forward with retaliation against the United States over its Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) law. Justin Trudeau, head of Canada’s Liberal Party, defeated Prime Minister Stephen Harper of the Conservative Party after a heated election. In response to a pre-election … Read More
NFU Supports Voluntary COOL
Earlier this week dairy industry organizations sent a letter to Senate on Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL), offering Voluntary COOL as the best option available. National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson issued the following statement in response: “The Hoeven-Stabenow compromise for COOL provides a voluntary label that both retains the integrity of food labeling for consumers and resolves the current dispute over … Read More
U.S. Dairy Industry Urges Senate to Solve COOL Issue
The National Milk Producers Federation, U.S. Dairy Export Council and International Dairy Foods Association believe Congress should solve the trade dispute over country-of-origin labeling (COOL) to head off damaging new tariffs on U.S. dairy exports by Canada and Mexico. In a letter to the Senate, the dairy industry expressed “growing apprehension” that retaliatory tariffs are drawing closer under a finding … Read More
NFU DC Fly-In Focus on COOL
Members of the National Farmers Union (NFU) met with administration officials and Congressional representatives in Washington DC last week for the organization’s 2015 Fall Legislative Fly-In. “This fall has proven to be a very important time for several Farmers Union issues, including the path forward for voluntary Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL), the full implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as … Read More