22 July 2013

2 minute read

North America

Farm-Scape is sponsored by Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork FarmScape is a Wonderworks Canada production and is distributed courtesy of Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork.

In May, in response to a WTO order to bring Mandatory Country of Origin Labelling into compliance with its world trade obligations, the US amended provisions for red meat to require details of where each production step occurred and banned the co-mingling of products from different countries.

Saskatchewan Pork Development Board chair Florian Possberg notes US processors have indicated the additional labelling requirements will add significantly to their costs.

Florian Possberg-Saskatchewan Pork Development Board

They've estimated that just trying to incorporate the definition of where the animals are coming from will end up costing a number of dollars per animal in the case of hogs and quite a bit more for the larger animals.

It's caused them significant costs and there doesn't appear to be any real benefit from a consumer point of view because, number one, very few consumers are aware of the details on any labels and secondly most Americans have no issue with Canadian sourced pork for example that only spends the first three weeks of their lives in Canada, spends the rest of their time in the US.

Canada has a reputation of very good food safety and quality anyway so there doesn't appear to be any significant benefit for the American consumers.

Mr Possberg notes Canada and Mexico have the legal right to retaliate against the US but no one wants to see that option pursued.

Instead he hopes the Americans will come up with the changes that will bring the legislation into compliance and eliminate the discrimination.

TheCattleSite News Desk