USCA: Successful USMCA Negotiation Will Include COOL

The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association is urging President Donald Trump to reinstate country-of-origin labeling for beef in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Though COOL failed to make it into the final text of the trade pact replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement, the organization says, “there is still an opportunity to address the unfair treatment of cattle and beef in this trade agreement.” The association sent the request to President Trump in a letter, stating, “The impact of a poor cattle market and decreasing live cattle prices coincide with the continued decline in America’s rural economy and the rising income disparity between rural and urban residents.” USCA President Kenny Graner states, “We respectfully request the inclusion of a country-of-origin labeling program for U.S. beef products within the context of USMCA.” The letter continues to say USMCA without COOL “deprives U.S. Cattle producers of the ability to differentiate their product in the market.” The letter follows a similar effort in early July by a coalition of freshman House members.