U.S. says Canadian COOL claim too high

Canada’s claim that the Country-of-Origin Labeling regulations imposed by the United States cost farmers 42.4 billion “is way too high,” say U.S. trade negotiators.

They filed a brief with the World Trade Organization putting the estimate of Canadian losses at $43.22 million.

Darci Vetter. chief agriculture negotiator for the U.S.

It also estimates Mexico’s losses at $47.55 million, a figure that I find hard to justify in comparison with Canada because Mexico has estimated its losses at $713 million compared with Canada’s billions.

Then again, the U.S. seldom feels it needs to justify anything it does in trade disputes.

The World Trade Organization has set Sept. 15 and 16 in Geneva to listen to the Canadian, Mexican and American claims.

Because the U.S. has not scrapped the offending regulations, Canada and Mexico are seeking the right to impose duties on about $3 billion worth of U.S. goods.

U.S. politicians are pondering legislation to respond to the World Trade Organization’s ruling that the U.S. COOL regulations are illegal trade barriers.

Cattle and hogs are at issue, but not sheep and goats.