USDA Announces Final Rule for M-COOL

CANADA - Canadian pork producers are confident the final regulation for US mandatory Country of Origin Labeling will allow American processors more flexibility in the use of Canadian origin hogs, writes Bruce Cochrane.

13 January 2009

3 minute read

North America

Yesterday the US Department of Agriculture announced details of the final regulation for mandatory Country of Origin Labeling.

The full text will be published in the January 15 Federal Register and the rule takes effect 16 March, 60 days after publication.

Canadian Pork Council president Jurgen Preugschas is hopeful the revised rule will allow American processors to mix product of multiple origin.

Jurgen Preugschas-Canadian Pork Council

The interim rule that came down, the problem there was the difficulty of processors in the United States to have the ability to mingle product born in Canada with other products out of the United States, what we call the A, B and C labels.

I think one thing is fairly clear that the Americans have taken a look at all of the comments made by interested parties and a lot of those from American processors that have been affected by the interim ruling.

What has happened with the ability now to mingle, or create a B label with mingling of C hogs, it does allow the processor the ability to import or kill hogs that are born in Canada or born in Canada and raised in the US and then mingle that under one label and actually keep their plants operating in an efficient fashion.

Preugschas says the Americans have begun to recognize the damage that COOL has been doing and that the costs of implementation have been prohibitive.

Ultimately, he says, there's no winner under COOL and the legislation should be withdrawn.