Knowing where their meat comes from
An international dispute over the labeling of foreign meat could cut into the profits of Wyoming ranchers, industry leaders say.
The World Trade Organization struck down the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s country of origin labeling rule in late October. The decision allows Canada and Mexico to levy retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports including meat, fresh vegetables, grain products and precious metals.
The country of origin rule requires American grocers to label the country of origin for the meat it sells. The WTO's action will mean Wyoming consumers will no longer have the option of knowing where their meat comes from, a fact many in the livestock industry say could hurt their profits.
The U.S. Trade Representative has 60 days to appeal the decision.
Canadian and Mexican producers are concerned with what they call discriminatory treatment of their cattle at processing plants in the United States.
Labeling foreign meats for display in your local grocery store often adds a complex tracking component for packers and adds costs for producers and consumers, said Jim Magagna, executive director of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association.
“The complexity of tracking these livestock has caused certain packing plants to stop taking these (foreign) cattle because it’s not cost-effective for them to comply to the rule,” he said.