Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 12/18/15

As expected, the House of Representatives and the Senate approved a $1.1 trillion spending bill on Friday that would fund the federal government through September and repeal the controversial mandatory country of origin (COOL) labeling requirement that has plagued the meat industry for the past seven years.

The legislation now goes to President Obama for signature.

The COOL repeal would head off over $1 billion in retaliatory measures threatened by Canada and Mexico that were approved by the World Trade Organization earlier this month.

WTO previously ruled COOL violates U.S. trade obligations, discriminates against Canadian and Mexican animals that are sent to the United States to be fed out and processed. The COOL statute requires meat to be labeled with the country where the animal from which it was derived was born, raised and harvested.

The COOL Reform Coalition, representing 140 companies and associations, issued a statement praising the House action and warning that, “without action, irreparable harm of the U.S. economy and the loss of thousands of American jobs are imminent. The Senate must act now to avoid this coming economic crisis.”

(Updates with Senate approving legislation after the House approved it.)

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