[fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”underline solid” sep_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]Canada and Mexico seeking go-ahead to impose just over $3 billion in tariffs against US[/title][fusion_text]Monday, June 8th 2015
Canada and Mexico are seeking the go-ahead from the World Trade Organization to impose just over $3 billion in tariffs against U.S. exports in retaliation for losses they claim to have suffered because of U.S. country-of-origin labeling (COOL) requirements. In a joint release, the governments said their request for authorization to retaliate was filed today with the WTO and will be considered by the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body on June 17. Canada is seeking retaliatory tariffs totaling about CA$3 billion (about $2.4 billion U.S. dollars) and Mexico will seek authorization for $653 million in sanctions, bringing the total to about $3.053 in damages. The WTO on May 18 ruled for the fourth time against U.S. COOL rules that require meat to be labeled with where the meat-producing animal was born, raised and slaughtered. The ruling ratified complaints filed by Canada and Mexico that the rules violate international trade obligations and discriminated against livestock from the two U.S. neighbors. Support for repeal appears to be ramping up in the U.S. Last month, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) changed its position on the issue and called for full repeal. In a release, Bob Stallman, AFBF president, said “it is now clear that we are far better off with no mandatory labeling” and that repeal would end threats of retaliation. AFBF, the nation’s largest farm organization, is far from alone with its calls for repeal. Numerous organizations inside and outside of agriculture have joined the COOL Reform Coalition, which is lobbying Congress to repeal the law. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, moved quickly after the WTO ruling in May, producing a bill that would repeal country of origin labeling regulations for beef, chicken, and pork. The measure is on the House floor schedule for the week of June 8. The bill does not have the support of Conaway’s ranking member on the committee, Collin Peterson, D-Minn.
[/fusion_text][/fullwidth]