In a letter to Congress on Thursday, numerous U.S. manufacturing and agricultural interests formally began a campaign to remove elements of the country of-origin labeling (COOL) laws which apply to muscle cuts of meat. They say Congress should act now to rescind offending COOL language before final adjudication by the World Trade Organization (WTO) early next year. They fear that Canada and Mexico will then begin to impose punitive tariffs on any number of manufacturing and agricultural products produced in the U.S. “It is expected that U.S. industries would suffer billions in lost sales if retaliation is allowed,” the letter states. “Given the negative impact on the U.S. manufacturing and agriculture economies, we respectfully submit that it would be intolerable for the United States to maintain, even briefly, a rule that has been deemed non-compliant by the WTO.” “With little potential for quick Congressional action after a WTO final adjudication, we request that Congress immediately authorize and direct the Secretary of Agriculture to rescind elements of COOL that have been determined to be non-compliant with international trade obligations by a final WTO adjudication,” the letter continues. “Such action by Congress would not undermine COOL to the extent COOL is consistent with international trade obligations nor would it weaken the U.S. defense of COOL in WTO litigation.” Those signing the letter also provided Congress with a new COOL Reform Coalition website to track how much potential retaliatory tariffs would impose on the economy of each state.