Agriculture minister sees hope in meat dispute with United States

Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz is sounding confident about his efforts to persuade the United States to scrap its country-of-origin meat labelling policy, known as COOL.

Ritz spoke in Chicago at the North America Meat Association conference.

He says the ground has shifted and 100 senators and congressmen have come onside.

The labelling policy increases costs and makes it more difficult for U.S. companies to buy Canadian products.

Ritz says the policy is hurting plants in the United States, and Canada is threatening retaliatory tariffs on everything from cattle to bread to orange juice.

Ritz is hoping the policy will be repealed via a farm bill now before the United States Senate and the House of Representatives.