Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today issued the following statement after the World Trade Organization (WTO) issued a final ruling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Country of Origin Labeling program for meat and poultry products:

“Today’s WTO ruling against USDA’s Country of Origin Labeling program could mean billions of dollars in retaliatory tariffs against U.S. products.

“California in particular would feel the brunt of the ruling, as tariffs against wine, cheese, beef, apples, tomatoes, chocolate and other products could cripple many companies.

“I’ve instructed my staff to work with the Senate Agriculture Committee to prepare legislation immediately to address this ruling. Consumers deserve to know where the food they buy comes from, but we need to make sure it’s done in a way that doesn’t destabilize California exports.”

Canada and Mexico are leading export destinations for California’s agricultural products, with agricultural exports totaling more than $4.7 billion in 2013.

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