U.S. to Vigorously Defend COOL

(Capital Press – Tim Hearden)

Senators urge Obama to prevent WTO from making changes

The Obama administration is reaffirming its vow to vigorously defend a new country-of-origin labeling law after being urged by 25 U.S. senators to do so. The U.S. Trade Representative’s office is working closely with the Department of Agriculture to take America’s case to the World Trade Organization, asserts Debbie Mesloh, the deputy assistant U.S. trade representative in Washington, D.C.

“The United States believes the country-of-origin provisions in the 2008 Farm Bill are fully consistent with all of our WTO trade obligations,” Mesloh told the Capital Press in an e-mail.

Mesloh’s reassurances come after U.S. Sens. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., and Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., led a group of senators calling on Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and trade representative Ron Kirk to defend mandatory country-of-origin labeling against complaints from Canada and Mexico. Johnson and Enzi were joined by 23 colleagues, including Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. The senators urged the government to ensure that no changes are made to the program as a result of the WTO process. Read more here.