OTTAWA – Canada is expected to announce it has won its trade battle with the United States over discriminatory labelling of beef and hog exports.
Trade Minister Ed Fast and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz have scheduled a news conference Friday morning in Calgary to announce the favourable decision from the World Trade Organization.
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A government source says the ruling sides with Canada’s complaint that requiring country of origin labelling on meat packaging discourages imports and adds to export costs.
The labelling measure, called COOL, came into force in the U.S. in 2008 and was challenged at the WTO by Canada and Mexico.
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The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association estimated the initial impact of COOL was to dampen Canadian cattle values by about $100 a head.
The WTO made a final determination at the end of July, but it has yet to be announced.
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