A WTO trade dispute panel has delivered its final report to the government's of Canada, U.S., and Mexico regarding a case against the United States on Country Of Origin Labelling. COOL came into effect in 2008, and the WTO case was launched in late 2009.

John Masswohl,  the Director of Government and International Relations for the Canadian Cattlemen's Association, says the decision was handed over three or four weeks ago, but remains confidential until it's translated into French and Spanish and is published. That's not expected to be completed until October or November of this year. He admits there have been leaked media reports on what is included in the report, but until the decision is formally published the CCA is not in a position to comment.

Masswohl says even prior to the report the CCA had already been talking to American cattle industry officials and legislators regarding what kind of resolution they would like this case to take. What the CCA has in mind is creating the circumstances in the U.S. marketplace that end the disadvantage Canadian live animals face, whether it be hogs or cattle. That disadvantage is currently estimated by Masswohl to be between $25 and $40 per head for cattle.

Specifically what the organization would like is making it voluntary to identify meat as product of Canada from Canadian live animals processed in the United States. Masswohl adds the CCA has also indicated if the Americans want to keep labelling mandatory, then what the label says should be based on the concept of substantial transformation. That essentially means any Canadian animal processed into meat in the United States should be considered a product of the United States. He adds the Canadian industry is also more than willing to label beef exported in a box as product of Canada.

Masswohl stresses the WTO case has never been about dismantling the COOL legislation. He adds the Canadian cattle industry has no interest in having any impact on the aspects of COOL related to fruits, vegetables, seafood, and nuts.