The World Trade Organization (WTO) rejected the United States’ appeal of last year’s decision regarding the US country-of-origin labeling law, or COOL law, ruling Monday that the law discriminates against Canadian and Mexican livestock.
The COOL law requires a label to be placed on meat packages according to where a product originated from detailing where an animal was born, raised and slaughtered. Consumer groups lobbied for the rule, but Canada and Mexico complained to the WTO, which sided with them. If implemented, some in the food industry feel Canadian and Mexican retaliation against American beef exports would be unavoidable.