Court Upholds Country of Origin Labeling

July 29, 2014
D.C. appeals court denies injunction request from AMI, other meat associations.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on July 29 denied the American Meat Institute's appeal requesting a preliminary injunction to block implementation of the USDA's country of original labeling (COOL) rule.

“The court’s decision today is disappointing," said AMI Interim President and CEO James Hodges. "We have maintained all along that the country of origin rule harms livestock producers and the industry and affords little benefit to consumers. This decision will perpetuate those harms. We will evaluate our options moving forward.”

Joining AMI in the lawsuit, filed in July 2013, were the American Assn. of Meat Processors, Canadian Cattlemen’s Assn., Canadian Pork Council, Confedaracion Nacional de Organizaciones Ganaderas, National Cattlemen’s Beef Assn., National Pork Producers Council, North American Meat Assn. and the Southwest Meat Assn.

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