Canadian cattle and hog producers have economic studies
indicating COOL reduces their prices by between $1.5 and $2 billion a year.
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Trade Minister Ed Fast
have scheduled a news conference in Ottawa Tuesday to comment.
It’s likely that they will pressure the U.S. to either drop
or radically reform its COOL regulations and that they will threaten to hit
U.S. products with tariffs if the U.S. persists with its current COOL
regulations.
Canada would need WTO approval for any tariffs it intends to
impose.
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, the Canadian Pork
Producers Council and the Canadian Meat Council all expressed pleasure with the
decision.
It has cost the cattle and hog producers a small fortune to
hire lawyers and consultants to lobby in the U.S. and to challenge the COOL
regulations.
