The World Trade Organization will consider Canada's claims regarding country of origin labeling required by the 2008 Farm Bill for certain agricultural products. The request will be considered at the Oct. 23, 2009 meeting of the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk issued a joint statement, saying they regret that formal consultations have not been successful in resolving Canada's concerns over country of origin labeling. The two cabinet members say they believe that implementation of COOL provides information to consumers in a manner consistent with World Trade Organization commitments.
The statement continued that countries have agreed since long before the existence of the WTO that country of origin labeling is a legitimate policy. It is common for other countries to require that goods be labeled as to their origin. We hope to continue to work with Canada to resolve this issue amicably.
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