Country of Origin Labeling Getting Support in Cattle Industry

The controversial Country of Origin Labeling requirements could find some support in the cattle industry.

Jess Peterson with the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association said it’s inevitable.

“The reality is, when I walk into a grocery store I still see a label on meat. What does that label mean? We have no clue, but at the drop of a hat we could work with Congress to say, it’s voluntary so it’s WTO compliant because we’re not making anybody do anything, but if you’re going to label, here’s the prescriptive reasons for how you do it.”

Consumers want to know, Peterson noted, and there might be people that want to buy American, as opposed to best price.

Getting out in front of any country of origin labeling will help meat producers be able to control definitions according to Peterson.

“It will happen, mark my words. We will have it and so folks that want to get involved, say right now, get involved in U.S. Cattlemen’s, heck, any organization to say let’s go define the label in a WTO-compliant way. We can do that and we will.”

The U.S. lost a WTO suit in 2015 brought on by Canada and Mexico over COOL after it was determined the U.S. method discriminated against the two countries.

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