Read the full story here!
Early in June, the House of Representatives voted to remove country-of-origin labels from meat sold in the United States. It was not a close vote; 300 representatives cast a ballot in favor of this change, while only 131 said nay. For consumers, the removal of identification labels would be a step away from responsible food sourcing and ostensibly leave room for more health concerns about the quality of the meat in question. Public perception is exactly what pulled this issue in front of Congress in the first place. The story begins with a disagreement in the World Trade Organization (WTO), and lawmakers’ big impetus for passing the legislation is maintaining trade partnerships with neighboring Canada and Mexico.
A series of rulings made between 2011 and 2012 by the WTO determined that labeling beef, pork, and chicken discriminates against livestock imported from Canada and Mexico. The final decision came in May, and both countries are seeking retaliatory actions amounting to a combined $3.7 billion annually. In turn, Canada has threatened to place trade restrictions on a range of U.S. exports, including meat, wine, chocolate, jewelry, and furniture. Of course, the amendment to 2002’s Country of Origin Labeling Amendments Act still must pass the Senate, but it does have the support of Republican Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas, who chairs the body’s Agricultural Committee. Roberts claimed that irregardless of senators support of country-of-origin labeling, measures must be taken to avoid retaliation. “Retaliation is imminent, and the U.S. cannot delay in preventing the expected $3.2 billion in sanctions,” he said.
The House of Representatives termed the mandatory Country of Origin Labeling Amendments Act”failed government mandate with serious economic implications.”