June 4, 2015 – Washington, D.C. – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz has wrapped up a series of key meetings with U.S. representatives and industry groups in Washington, D.C., where he repeated Canada’s call for the United States (U.S.) to repeal its discriminatory Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) policy.
Minister Ritz held meetings with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, as well as members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. Joined by representatives from Canada’s cattle and hog sectors, Minister Ritz also held roundtable discussions with the COOL Reform Coalition and the Barnyard Coalition.
In response to the latest World Trade Organization (WTO) decision, and in accordance with international trade rules, Minister Ritz made clear in the meetings that Canada will seek WTO authorization to place retaliatory measures against more than $3 billion worth of annual U.S. exports to Canada.
The U.S. has used and exhausted all possible means to avoid their international obligations, damaging the highly integrated North American supply chain, hurting producers and processors on both sides of the border.
Jeff English
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Gerry Ritz
613-773-1059
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972
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