Sarnia

'Compelling' Arguments For COOL Retaliation Amounts

It will be at least another month before we hear the WTO's decision on trade retaliation against the U-S over COOL.

However, Canadian Pork Council officials are pretty happy with how last week's arbitration hearing went.

Chair Rick Bergmann says the Canadian government delegation made compelling arguments for the amount of retaliation the WTO should approve.

That included evidence that Canadian fed hog exports to the U-S fell by more than 80 per cent following the implementation of the Country Of Origin Labelling rules in 2008.

Similar reductions were also seen in the export of feeder pigs and Canadian cattle.

Bergmann argues the cost of compliance with COOL are so onerous that the number of U-S plants willing to purchase Canadian born pigs fell from over 25 to just a handful.

The report of the WTO arbitrator hearing the case is expected November 27th.

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