A meaty battle heats up

The World Trade Organization said Monday the U.S. violates international trade pacts by requiring “country of origin” labels on packages of meat. Although the practice benefits consumers, who deserve to know where their beef and pork come from, it’s likely to end because of pressure from Canada and Mexico.

Two days later, the House Agriculture Committee voted 38-6 to repeal the law that puts such labels on meat. It’s the start of an ironic capitulation in a month when President Barack Obama said, “No trade agreement is going to force us to change our laws.”

The president made the statement at Nike headquarters May 6 in a speech about the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The WTO decision is not related to that proposed agreement but was in response to long-standing complaints from Mexico and Canada that the U.S. labeling requirements unfairly hurt their sales.

American meat processors despise the rules, too, saying they require segregation of imported animals and onerous record-keeping.

Two years ago, a Consumer Reports study showed 78 percent of Americans prefer to buy U.S. products, and 60 percent prefer to do so even if they cost more.

Labels become even more important when it comes to produce and meat, which, unlike a pair of imported socks, has the potential to kill you if carrying E. coli or mad cow disease.

Emboldened by the WTO ruling, Mexico and Canada vow to retaliate economically if the U.S. doesn’t change its label policy.

Ontario says it will impose punitive tariffs on 38 products including wine, orange juice, cereal and — horrors — ketchup.

This summons a platitude: With friends like this, who needs enemies? Cooler heads would find compromise, but with American meat processors also clamoring for change, new labels are likely coming, even though consumers are right to have a beef with that.

— Pittsburgh Post-Gazette