There continues to be rumblings in the U-S around bringing back Country of Orgin Labeling.

While there has been no formal discussions R-CALF reportedly sent Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack a proposed draft bill to reinstate Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling.

During Vilsack's confirmation hearings in January, he referenced revisiting COOL if it could be done without the WTO slapping it down.

Canada and Mexico launched a successful WTO challenge of COOL, when it was implemented under the Obama administration, which resulted in the legislation being repealed in December 2015.

The CCA's Executive Vice President Dennis Laycraft say's their monitoring the situation closely.

"We have maintained our rights under the WTO by winning the case a number of years ago, which led to the repeal of M-COOL, that if they brought back a measure that isn't in compliance with the WTO that we could legally put up to a billion dollars in tariffs in place. They then would have to take Canada to the WTO to prove that, that measure was WTO compliant. So we're in a much better position now, but there is a clear risk."

Laycraft notes they have a number of allies in the U-S and will continue to work with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the American Farm Bureau.