Agricultural News
USDA Rushing to Get Revised COOL Rule in Place in Advance of May23rd WTO Deadline
Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:02 CDT
Country of Origin Labeling continues to be a contentious issue- more than a decade after it was first brought forward by populist cattle groups intent on blocking Canadian feeder cattle from entering the United States. The current COOL battle actually began when the USDA implemented rules for COOL in 2009 that have turned out to be illegal under WTO rules- based on a complaint brought forward by Canada and joined into by Mexico. WTO gave the US until May 23rd to change the offending regulations and rules, which prompted USDA to offer what some in the US cattle industry believe is an even more unworkable rule as a revision. The Department offered a very short open window to offer comments. Those comments were supposed to be considered before the final rule is published before May 23rd in order to meet WTO demands- however, with the USDA under heavy time pressure- some in the beef industry were dubious how much impact the comments that were submitted might actually have.
On Tuesday, farm broadcasters spent time with the US Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, who believes the USDA has a very reasonable revised rule and it is his contention that it passes the test of satisfying the earlier complaints against the US.
Farm Director Ron Hays asked the Secretary to explain his position and how he sees the US cattle and beef industry complying with the revised rule if it looks like the proposed rule we saw back at the beginning of the year. Secretary Vilsack's comments make up today's Beef Buzz.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network- but is also a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show- and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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