LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Farm Bureau has reiterated its call for repeal of Country of Origin labeling requirements.

On Monday, the World Trade Organization authorized Canada and Mexico to place more than $1 billion in tariffs on beef, pork and poultry, based on U.S. law that requires country of origin labeling on these products. An arbitration panel at the World Trade Organization ruled that the U.S policy, known by its acronym COOL, was unfair because it puts imported livestock at a disadvantage to domestic livestock.

Arkansas Farm Bureau President Randy Veach called on Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton to bring the issue in front of the U.S. Senate, in order to mirror action taken by the House of Representatives in June.

“If we are going to continue to engage in free trade with our neighbors to the north and south, we must change our law to be compliant with the WTO ruling,” said Veach. “Arkansas is one of the nation’s largest producers of poultry products, and a top 10 producer of beef. The tariff the WTO has allowed Mexico and Canada to apply to our beef, pork and poultry would negatively affect Arkansas farmers and ranchers. We must take action to eliminate COOL.”

Arkansas Farm Bureau policy calls for repeal of COOL requirements, because of the potential impacts to agricultural exports.

Arkansas Farm Bureau is a nonprofit, private advocacy organization of more than 190,000 families throughout the state working to improve farm and rural life.