Originally published July 17 2015
Mexico, Canada use globalist trade organization to eliminate U.S. food safety regulations
by J. D. Heyes
(NaturalNews) The United States' two neighboring countries are preparing to level trade sanctions under rules governing a globalist trade agreement following victory in a recent meat labeling case.
The pending actions by the Canadian and Mexican governments are creating pressure on Congress to change existing U.S. laws that have been credited with providing consumers with more complete information about the food they feed their families.
As reported by Reuters, a ruling by the World Trade Organization sided with Canada and Mexico over laws "requiring retailers to label meat with the country where the animal was born, raised and slaughtered, saying they discriminated against imported livestock."
Republicans in Congress, who have a majority in both chambers, have indicated that they might introduce legislation to repeal the labeling rules, but consumer groups and a number of Democrats say the labeling requirement is a benefit for consumers.
Trade war threatened over globalist pact
Beef and pork producers in the two disputing countries, however, claim that the rules add unnecessary expenses and have even led to reductions in livestock exports, which have purportedly driven some Canadian and Mexican farmers out of business and is said to cost $1 billion a year.
"Our governments will be seeking authorization from the WTO to take retaliatory measures against U.S. exports," the Mexican and Canadian ministers for trade and agriculture said in a joint statement, Reuters reported, adding:
Canada has published a hit list of potential U.S. targets, including wine, chocolate, ketchup and cereal. Mexico has not done so but estimates damages similar to Canada's.
Rep. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, wants Congress to move swiftly to resolve the issue.
"It is more important now than ever to act quickly to avoid a protracted trade war with our two largest trade partners," he said.
However, the committee's ranking member, Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minnesota, has said he will oppose any effort to repeal the labeling requirements, adding that there were other steps to pursue at the WTO before changing U.S. labeling laws became necessary.
Some analysts, Reuters reported, said that changing U.S. laws could increase livestock imports. Not changing the laws could also negatively impact U.S. producers due to retaliatory measures by Canada and Mexico.
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association, and some American producers and business groups, want to see the laws changed.
"Unless Congress acts now, Canada and Mexico will put tariffs on dozens of U.S. products," National Pork Producers Council President Ron Prestage told Reuters. "That's a death sentence for U.S. jobs and exports."
Actually, 8 in 10 Americans want more labeling
But the overall idea of labeling more foods -- especially foods containing genetically modified organisms -- is becoming more popular in the U.S.
As reported by The Associated Press in January, two-thirds of Americans surveyed supported "labeling of genetically modified ingredients on food packages, even if they may not read them."
The AP also said that four in 10 people believed that the presence of GMOs in their food was a matter of importance. The AP further reported:
According to the December AP-GfK poll, 66 percent of Americans favor requiring food manufacturers to put labels on products that contain genetically modified ingredients.
Only 7 percent are opposed to the labeling, and 24 percent are neutral.
A separate report from ABC News noted that support for GMO labeling was nearly unanimous among American consumers, especially as concern over GMO foods rises:
Nearly everyone, moreover — 93 percent — says the federal government should require labels on food saying whether it's been genetically modified, or "bio-engineered" (this poll used both phrases). Such near-unanimity in public opinion is rare.
As Natural News has reported, however, Big Food in America is vehemently opposed to GMO labeling. In 2014, giant food corporations tripled their propaganda spending in an effort to oppose GMO labeling initiatives in U.S. states.
The anti-GMO-labeling effort is being echoed by an increasing number of "interested" parties, but it has been led primarily by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), which has spread millions of dollars around to other "interested" parties (think lawmakers) to kill labeling bills.
Sources:
http://www.reuters.com
http://www.pbs.org
http://www.naturalnews.com
http://abcnews.go.com
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