Canadian Ag Chief Bashes Voluntary COOL Proposal, Threatens Imminent Retaliation
Repeal of U.S. country-of-origin labeling is the “only way” to avert billions of dollars in Canadian retaliation on U.S. exports, said Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz in a July 30 statement (here). Ritz tore into the voluntary COOL proposal introduced roughly a week ago by Sens. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. (see 1507240019). “Senators Hoeven and Stabenow’s proposal in no way reflects Canada’s voluntary labelling regime – any suggestion of this is blatantly false. A voluntary regime as they propose does not require legislation,” said the statement. “By continuing the segregation of and discrimination against Canadian cattle and hogs, Senators Hoeven and Stabenow's proposed measure will continue to harm farmers, ranchers, packers, retailers and consumers.”
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Ritz, who has said retaliation may come as early as late summer, lashed into the proposal in June after Stabenow initially floated the legislation (see 1506250063). Canadian retaliation is likely to cover U.S. meat, dairy, wine, furniture, jewelry and a range of other products (see 1506250027). The House repealed COOL in a decisive, mid-June vote (see 1506100067). Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, angled to tack a COOL repeal amendment onto the Senate’s highway bill in recent days, but that bid ultimately fell short (see 1507300029). The Senate is set to reconvene on Aug. 3 in an extra session that cuts into the August recess. COOL repeal isn’t likely to get a vote, however. A spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., didn’t respond for comment. Both chambers of Congress return to Capitol Hill the second week of September.