U.S. Considering Appeal of COOL Ruling, Debate on Chemicals Effect on Bees

The U.S. will not appeal the World Trade Organization’s recent ruling on Country of Origin Labeling until the beginning of next year.
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack told DTN this week the U.S. Trade Representative’s office is in the process of considering an appeal. He said the WTO has asked the U.S. to wait because, “they are not capable of processing any additional appeals, based on the level of work at the WTO that is currently in the queue.”
A WTO panel ruled this month the U.S. can have a country-of-origin label for meat products, but the current USDA rule discriminates against Canadian and Mexican cattle.
There is an ongoing debate concerning the use of neonicotinoids, agricultural chemicals that are used to protect crops from pests.
Some contend these chemicals are causing honey bee colony decline, though there is no conclusive scientific evidence to support this statement.
Growing Matters, an industry consortium that includes Bayer CropScience, Syngenta and Valent U.S.A. Corp, is releasing the first comprehensive research study of the economic and societal value of neonicotinoids.

Categories: Ag News